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Ex-prosecutor linked to ex-first lady arrested over alleged bribery

Published: 18 Sep. 2025, 12:34

Former prosecutor Kim Sang-min arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Sept. 17, 2025, ahead of a hearing on his potential arrest on charges of bribing former first lady Kim Keon Hee. [YONHAP]

A former prosecutor was arrested Thursday on suspicion of bribing former first lady Kim Keon Hee in exchange for her support for his 2024 parliamentary campaign.

The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Kim Sang-min at the request of special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, citing concerns that he may destroy evidence.

Kim is accused of gifting the former first lady a 140 million-won ($101,000) painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan in return for her support for his bid to win the then-ruling People Power Party's nomination for a parliamentary seat representing Changwon's Uichang district in the April 2024 general elections.

The seat was previously held by Kim Young-sun, and Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker who helped her campaign, has claimed the former first lady promised him a Cabinet position or the presidency of a public enterprise in the event he backed Kim Sang-min's campaign.

The former prosecutor, however, failed to win the nomination and was later appointed as a legal adviser to the National Intelligence Service.

The special counsel suspects the former first lady may have been involved in the appointment process as well.

The latest arrest is expected to help the special counsel team hone in on allegations that the former first lady meddled in nominations for not only the 2024 general elections but also the June 2022 local elections and parliamentary by-elections.

She was indicted with physical detention last month on charges of receiving free opinion polls worth 270 million won together with her husband from Myung ahead of the 2022 presidential election in exchange for securing the nomination of Kim Young-sun for the parliamentary by-election later that year.

Yonhap