South Korea's ex-first lady not to attend Saturday questioning due to 'poor health'

Seoul, Aug 22 South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, who is currently under arrest, will not appear for questioning by a special counsel team this weekend due to health problems, her lawyer said Friday.

Kim, the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently in custody, had been summoned to appear at special counsel Min Joong-ki's office Saturday morning to be questioned over corruption and bribery allegations, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Kim's side recently informed the special counsel team of her intent to skip Saturday's session, citing health problems, the investigation team said in a press release. It has summoned Kim again for questioning on Monday.

The former first lady's lawyer said that she is in "very poor" health condition due to low blood pressure and anxiety disorders.

Last week, Kim was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, meddling in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and 2024 general elections, and receiving luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman in exchange for business favors.

The former first lady had since been questioned by the special counsel team three times, but she reportedly refused to answer most of their questions during the sessions.

Meanwhile, special prosecutors investigating corruption allegations against South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee were deliberating over the charges to press against her after securing a luxury necklace she allegedly accepted in exchange for a personnel appointment favour, legal sources said on Sunday.

Last week, special counsel Min Joong-ki's team said Seohee Construction officials submitted the Van Cleef and Arpels necklace and confessed to gifting the item to Kim right after her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was elected in March 2022, seeking a government job for the company chairman's son-in-law.

The son-in-law, a former prosecutor, was appointed as the chief of staff for then Prime Minister Han Duck-soo three months later, reports Yonhap news agency.

Kim has reportedly denied the allegation, arguing that the necklace she wore during a 2022 trip to Europe was not authentic.

Given the evidence, special prosecutors could press charges of bribery through mediation against Kim, considering that she did not hold any public office and did not have any authority to make any personnel appointments.

Under the law, bribery charges apply to people typically holding public office who provide a benefit in exchange for the bribe, compared with bribery through mediation, when a third party is involved to facilitate the transaction.

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