Police refer ex-President Yoon to prosecution over wife's luxury bag bribery case

Police have referred former President Yoon Suk Yeol to the prosecution over claims that he violated the antigraft law in relation to his wife's alleged acceptance of a luxury bag in 2022, sources said on Friday.

A special police investigation team is said to have sent the case to the prosecution on June 9, accusing the jailed former president of failing to report the Dior bag worth 5.4 million won ($3,500) to the state auditor.

The team believes that Yoon was aware that his wife, Kim Keon Hee, accepted the bag from a pastor in June 2022.

It marks the latest criminal case against Yoon, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in February on charges of leading an insurrection through his failed martial law bid in December 2024. He has appealed the ruling.

Kim is currently standing trial for bribery-related charges for allegedly accepting the Dior bag and other valuables, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace.

A special counsel team has sought a prison term of seven years and six months for the former first lady in the case. The sentencing hearing for that trial is scheduled for July 26.

Yonhap