South Korea: Special counsel attempts to raid ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee's home

Seoul, July 25 A special counsel team was attempting to search the home of former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Friday as part of their investigation into corruption allegations surrounding her.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team was negotiating details of the raid with Presidential Security Service officials after arriving at Kim's residence in southern Seoul with a search-and-seizure warrant.

The special counsel team has been looking into Kim's alleged acceptance of luxury goods from a shaman and her alleged meddling in election nominations among other allegations.

The team also separately raided Rep. Kim Sun-gyo's office at the National Assembly to search for evidence over allegations that the People Power Party lawmaker intervened in an expressway project that stirred controversy in 2023, Yonhap news agency reported.

The then administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim's husband, allegedly changed the endpoint of the Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project to where Kim's family owns land in Yangpyeong, east of Seoul, raising accusations of preferential treatment.

The lawmaker, who previously served as the county's governor, is suspected of making the request for the change. After the scandal broke out, the government announced it would scrap the project.

Earlier on Monday a special counsel has summoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol and former first lady Kim to appear for questioning over allegations of election interference and other irregularities.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team sent a summons to the Seoul Detention Centre, where Yoon is under arrest, to request his appearance as a suspect at 10 a.m. July 29, assistant special counsel Moon Hong-ju said during a press briefing.

The team also mailed a summons to Kim's residence to request her appearance as a suspect at 10 a.m. on August 6, he said.

Kim is expected to be questioned about her alleged involvement in two different stock price manipulation schemes, her alleged acceptance of luxury goods from a shaman, and her alleged meddling in election nominations, according to a team official.

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