A view seen from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul / Yonhap Prosecutors face backlash for acquitting Kim Keon Hee of graft charges By Anna J. Park First lady Kim Keon Hee’s acceptance of a Dior handbag from a Korean American pastor is likely to remain a contentious issue for the Yoon Suk Yeol government throughout the president’s terms, as prosecution’s decision to acquit her of violating anti-graft laws has failed to convince both the public and the opposition. Labeling prosecutors as a puppet of Yoon, a former prosecutor, liberal opposition parties and civic groups are ramping up their demands for a special counsel investigation into the allegations, which the president has already rejected.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office (SCDPO), which investigated the allegation that Kim received a luxury bag worth about 3 million won ($2,252) from a pastor in 2022, concluded that Kim was not guilty of any wrongdoing. The office stated that the bag was given "not in exchange for favors" but simply "out of gratitude." The conclusion was reached about four months after the investigation team was assembled.
SCDPO chief Lee Chang-soo reported the conclusion to Prosecutor General Lee One-seok, Thursday. Kim is alleged to have accepted the bag, along with other items such as cosmetics and liquor, from Pastor Choi Jae-young between June and September 2022. Choi recorded the acceptance of the bag with a hidden camera and released the footage through onli.