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Selective investigations by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki raise questions

Published: 09 Dec. 2025, 00:00

Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, who is leading the investigation of former first lady Kim Keon Hee [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A special counsel team investigating alleged corruption by Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is facing criticism for selective enforcement. The team led by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki did not pursue allegations that the Unification Church provided support not only to the People Power Party (PPP) but also to Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

Yoon Young-ho, a former senior official of the Unification Church’s global headquarters now on trial for providing funds to PPP Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, testified in court on Friday that the group “approached both sides,” not just one. He said that between 2017 and 2021 the church’s ties were “closer to the DP,” adding that he approached four minister-level officials in the current administration, two of whom also met with church leader Han Hak-ja.

During interviews with the special counsel, Yoon said that during the Moon Jae-in administration, he provided tens of millions of won each to two sitting and former lawmakers. Reports also indicate that as many as 15 DP lawmakers received support in the form of bulk book purchases tied to publication events.

Despite this, the special counsel charged Han and Yoon only for allegations connected to the PPP: delivering 100 million won ($68,000) to Kweon in 2022 and using 144 million won in church funds to make split donations to PPP lawmakers. If split donations by a religious group constitute a violation, then donations involving the DP should have been treated equivalently. Yet the team did not investigate alleged ties between the party and the church. Adding to the inconsistency, while Kweon was indicted on a charge unrelated to the Kim Keon Hee case — prompting concerns of overreach — the team did not probe two ruling bloc figures Yoon said received large sums.

As controversy grew, Min’s team said on Monday that support provided to DP lawmakers fell “outside the scope of the special counsel law” and would be forwarded to other investigative bodies. The team said its focus was “organized support by the Unification Church leadership,” but whether this standard is reasonable is debatable.

The Kim Keon Hee Special Counsel Act explicitly requires political neutrality. To maintain public trust, a special counsel must avoid even the appearance of imbalance. When questions of fairness arise, distrust deepens and political tensions escalate. The team has also been criticized for its handling of a case in which a Yangpyeong County official died by suicide during questioning, yet investigators have not been held accountable.

The DP is now seeking a comprehensive special counsel even after three separate probes. But special counsel investigations inherently risk selective enforcement because the scope of “related offenses” is often ambiguous. Korea cannot rely on special counsels indefinitely. Ordinary investigative agencies should conduct rigorous, impartial investigations to establish the full truth.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.