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Special Counsel Investigates Handling of Kim Keon-hee Luxury Bag Case With Raids on Prosecutors Office and Justice Ministry
Kwon Chang-young's team searched the offices Wednesday morning as part of an investigation into allegations that prosecution leadership pressured investigators to drop bribery charges against former first lady Kim Keon Hee related to a Dior handbag. The case stems from a 2022 hidden camera video released by Voice of Seoul and a complaint filed against Kim and former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
May 6, 3:43 AM·1m read1 source
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Prosecutors and investigators from special counsel Kwon Chang-young's team raided the Supreme Prosecutors Office and the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday over an alleged mishandling of the prosecution investigation into former first lady Kim Keon Hee's acceptance of a luxury handbag from a Korean American pastor.
The team began a search of the SPO and the ministry's prosecution service division in the morning, according to legal sources. Kwon's team has been investigating allegations that the prosecution leadership forced prosecutors to acquit Kim in 2024 of charges related to her acceptance of a Dior bag from pastor Choi Jae-young.
Voice of Seoul filed a complaint against Kim and her husband and former President Yoon Suk Yeol on suspicions of bribery in December 2023. One month earlier, the internet news outlet released a hidden camera video showing Choi Jae-young handing over the luxury handbag gift to Kim in 2022.
The prosecution dropped charges against Kim in October 2024, saying the bag received from Choi appeared unrelated to Yoon's duties and seemed to have been given without any expectation of return.
Kwon's team was launched in February to investigate 17 allegations that three previous special counsel teams could not resolve. One of the previous teams found that Kim sent a message to then Justice Minister Park Sung-jae in May 2024, asking about the formation of a dedicated investigation team about her case and the status of the investigation. Yonhap reported the details from Seoul on May 6.
