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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial |
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ARTICLE VIEW: |
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South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee indicted for bribery |
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Story by Reuters |
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Updated: |
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2:31 AM EDT, Fri August 29, 2025 |
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Source: Reuters |
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Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s ousted former President Yoon |
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Suk Yeol, has been indicted for bribery and other charges, a special |
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prosecution team said on Friday, amid a widening probe into the |
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country’s martial law crisis and scandals involving the once powerful |
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couple. |
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Both Yoon and Kim have been arrested and are in jail, with Yoon already |
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undergoing trial on charges that include insurrection following his |
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ouster in April over a botched bid to . |
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The couple face separate investigations by special prosecutors |
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appointed after Yoon’s removal from office and since liberal |
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President Lee Jae Myung took office in early June. |
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Following the indictment, Kim apologized for causing concerns and said |
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she would make “no excuses” and face trial. |
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“Just as moonlight shines brightly in the darkest night, I too will |
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endure this time, looking to my truth and heart,” Kim said in a |
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statement relayed by her lawyers, which did not address specific |
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charges against her. |
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The charges against Kim, which are punishable by years in prison if she |
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is found guilty, range from stock fraud to suspected bribery that has |
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implicated business owners, religious figures and a powerful political |
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broker. |
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The former first lady has been the subject of numerous high-profile |
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scandals, some dating back more than 15 years, which overshadowed |
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Yoon’s turbulent presidency and inflicted political damage on him and |
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his conservative party. |
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Kim’s lawyers have denied the allegations against her and said news |
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reports about some of the gifts she allegedly received were groundless |
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speculation. |
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Yoon’s shock martial law order in December and its political fallout |
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has coincided with a dramatic fall from grace for Kim, a wealthy |
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businesswoman who was seen as an important driving force behind her |
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husband’s rise to top office. |
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Special prosecutors investigating the country’s martial law crisis |
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also indicted on Friday former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who was |
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appointed by Yoon on charges of abetting insurrection and committing |
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perjury, a prosecution spokesperson said. |
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“The defendant was the highest constitutional institution that could |
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have stopped the president’s unconstitutional, illegitimate martial |
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law,” Park Ji-young, the spokesperson, said. |
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In recent weeks, prosecutors had been questioning Han, but he has not |
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responded to questions from reporters. |
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The experienced technocrat, who served in senior posts under five |
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presidents, became acting president after Yoon was impeached. |
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Soon after, Han himself was impeached after being accused of aiding |
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Yoon in the martial law declaration. He denied this but accepted some |
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responsibility for the ensuing crisis by failing to dissuade Yoon from |
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making the surprise move. |
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The Constitutional Court overturned Han’s impeachment, restoring his |
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powers to serve as leader before he resigned from the post to run in |
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the June election, but ended his bid for the presidency following rifts |
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among conservatives. |
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