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 online media last year.
While Choi claimed he sought certain favors in exchange for the gifts, prosecutors concluded that Kim was either unaware of his requests or that there was a time gap between receiving the gifts and the solicitations. Prosecutors determined that the bag and other gifts were more likely given as a "means of facilitating meetings" or as a "gesture of gratitude," rather than as a bribe for favors. Despite the conclusion by prosecutors, it seems unlikely that the controversy surrounding Kim will die down anytime soon.
The unclear outcome, which has failed to convince the opposition bloc and liberal civic groups, is likely to keep haunting the president throughout his term. President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee arrive at Orly Airport in Paris, France, Nov. 23, 2023.
Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) criticized the prosecutors for their conclusion that the first lady should face no charges. “The prosecution, which was supposed to investigate those in power, has now degenerated into one that protects those in power,” DPK spokesperson Noh Jong-myun said in a statement. "The prosecution has ultimately granted immunity to the first lady in the luxury handbag case .
.. The prosecution has turned the prosecutor general into a puppet to grant immunity to Kim.
" Another DPK spokesman, Cho Seung-rae, argued that the acquittal underscores the need for a special counsel investigation into Kim's luxury bag case. "The politically biased prosecution may offer false leniency, but the people will never forgive them. No one will believe the luxury bag was merely a 'token of gratitude' and not 'in exchange for favors.
' We need to uncover the truth through a special counsel investigation," Cho said. The liberal opposition bloc sought a special counsel investigation during the previous National Assembly session in May and passed a relevant bill, but Yoon vetoed it. Cho Kuk, the leader of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP), also criticized prosecutors.
"The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which acts mercilessly toward opposition politicians and ordinary citizens, is exceptionally eager to grant immunity to Kim," Cho said. "From now on, then, the spouses of public officials, journalists, and university professors (who are subject to the anti-graft law) can receive luxury handbags as a token of appreciation. Only if they claim there were no favors in return, they will be excused," he added.
On the other hand, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) took a cautious stance regarding the issue. The party's leader, Han Dong-hoon, told reporters that judicial judgments are based on "facts and legal principles," adding that he believes the prosecutors' decision was in line with these standards..
