Special prosecutor targets ex-South Korean first lady for fraud
The Seoul Central District Court granted a request for her arrest late on August 12, citing concerns she could destroy evidence if allowed to remain free.
Kim, 51, arrived at the courthouse earlier in the day for a lengthy hearing on the arrest warrant request, refusing to answer reporters' questions. Following the court's decision, she was transferred to a detention facility in southern Seoul, separate from the prison housing her husband. She is expected to face additional questioning on August 14, and investigators are permitted to hold her for up to 20 days before deciding whether to formally charge her.
The arrest marks a dramatic turn in one of three major special prosecutor probes authorized by South Korea's new liberal government into Yoon's turbulent presidency. Yoon, a conservative who took office in 2022, was impeached in December after briefly imposing martial law, then removed from office in April by the Constitutional Court. He was rearrested last month and now faces a high-profile trial on charges including rebellion.
Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki's team began questioning Kim in earnest last week, holding her for about seven hours. At the time, she issued a brief, guarded apology for "causing public concern" but suggested she would deny wrongdoing, describing herself as "someone insignificant."
Prosecutors believe Kim and Yoon intervened in the 2022 legislative by-election candidate selection process for the conservative People Power Party, allegedly pushing for a particular nominee at the request of political broker Myung Tae-kyun. Myung himself is accused of conducting manipulated opinion polls for Yoon during the party's presidential primaries, potentially helping secure his nomination.
Beyond the election meddling allegations, Kim is tied to several corruption claims. Investigators say she may have received luxury gifts, including through a fortune teller who acted as an intermediary for a Unification Church official seeking government favors. She is also suspected of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme connected to a local BMW dealership.
Authorities also arrested one of Kim's close associates after he returned from Vietnam. He is accused of leveraging his ties to her to obtain millions of dollars in investments for his struggling business. A day earlier, prosecutors raided a construction company over allegations its chairman bought a US$43,000 necklace worn by Kim during a 2022 presidential trip to Europe. Investigators believe the gift may have been linked to the hiring of the chairman's son-in-law as chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo shortly before the trip. Kim denied the claim, saying the necklace was fake on loan.
While president, Yoon repeatedly blocked legislative efforts to investigate his wife, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated. That changed after liberal candidate Lee Jae Myung won the June 2025 snap election and swiftly authorized special investigations into Yoon's martial law episode, the charges against Kim, and a 2023 marine's drowning during a flood rescue operation that the previous administration allegedly covered up.
Yoon's martial law decree collapsed within hours when lawmakers forced their way past armed soldiers and voted to revoke it. His impeachment soon followed, ending a presidency now under intense legal and political scrutiny. Even in detention, Yoon has resisted all attempts to compel him to answer questions about his wife's activities.
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