Seoul – In a dramatic move, prosecutors from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office raided the People Power Party headquarters Wednesday, one day after the arrest of former first lady Kim Keon-hee in a wide-ranging election meddling and corruption probe.
Late Tuesday, the 52-year-old Kim was arrested on charges including stock manipulation, violations of capital market laws, and illicit political fundraising. It marks the first time a former first lady faces jail in South Korea’s history.
The court had granted an arrest warrant after reviewing an 848-page prosecutors’ opinion detailing Kim’s alleged unlawful acts and the potential risk of evidence tampering. Prosecutors said they seized documents and digital files at the party HQ to uncover proof of her reported interference in parliamentary elections.
Kim’s husband, ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, resigned from the People Power Party in May after his removal from office. Yoon, a former top prosecutor, was impeached in April following a failed martial law declaration in December that saw troops deployed to parliament. He has been in detention since July 10.
Opposition leader Song Eon-seog slammed the raid as 'nothing short of gangster behavior,' accusing the current administration of ruthless political persecution. Advocates for accountability, however, argue the probe demonstrates South Korea’s maturing democratic institutions and commitment to the rule of law.
This unfolding saga—the first time a nation’s former president and first lady are both detained—underscores the global importance of transparent governance and the pressures facing political leaders everywhere.
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South Korean prosecutors raid party HQ after ex-first lady arrested
cgtn.com
