Overview
- In a statement released by her lawyers, the former first lady acknowledged for the first time that she accepted two Chanel handbags from Jeon Seong-bae.
- She rejected allegations of any exchange of favors or collusion with the Unification Church and said she never received a Graff necklace.
- Her lawyers said she initially declined the gifts, accepted them after persuasion, did not use them, and later returned them in full to Jeon.
- Prosecutors have said the luxury items were linked to requests for business favors following the 2022 presidential election, with the bags priced at about 8 million won and 12 million won and the necklace valued at 62 million won.
- The statement follows Jeon’s reversal in court, where he said he delivered the gifts at a church official’s request to a then presidential aide, while Kim remains under arrest on corruption and bribery charges.