Overview
- Concluding a 180-day probe, prosecutors said Kim used her status as presidential spouse to obtain money and luxury goods and to influence personnel appointments and political nominations.
- Investigators put the value of alleged bribes at up to 377.25 million won, citing items such as Chanel handbags, a Graff necklace, a Lee Ufan painting, a Dior bag, a watch and high-end jewelry.
- The special counsel sought a 15-year prison term and a 2 billion won seizure, while Kim remains in custody, denies wrongdoing and awaits a lower-court ruling on Jan. 28.
- Roughly 20 people were detained and more than 60 indicted across the cases, including Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, with charges spanning bribery-for-mediation, illegal polling and the Deutsch Motors stock scheme.
- Prosecutors said evidence was insufficient to indict former president Yoon Suk Yeol on the bribery-related allegations, and referred unresolved lines of inquiry to the National Office of Investigation.