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Ex-first lady, shaman appear for questioning by special counsel

Published: 25 Aug. 2025, 11:51

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee walks out of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, after questioning on Aug. 12. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee and a shaman linked to her appeared before a special counsel team on Monday to undergo questioning over corruption allegations.

Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was brought to special counsel Min Joong-ki's office in a prison van from a detention center where she has been held since Aug. 13.

The former first lady faces allegations of involvement in stock manipulation schemes, 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 shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, was also detained last week and brought in for questioning the same day.

It was the first questioning for Jeon since his arrest and the fourth for Kim since her arrest, though the former first lady has reportedly exercised her right to remain silent during most of the previous sessions.

The special counsel team has extended her detention once, through Aug. 31, and aims to file charges against her before the period ends.

Jeon is suspected of receiving a diamond necklace and Chanel bags from the Unification Church in 2022 and delivering them to Kim, along with requests to support the church's development projects in Cambodia, the acquisition of broadcaster YTN and the hosting of a United Nations office in Korea, among other favors.

Jeon has acknowledged receiving the gifts and requests but denied delivering them to Kim.

Yonhap