Former South Korean PM, ex-president’s wife indicted in ongoing special probes

Seoul: South Korean special prosecutors on Friday charged the wife of imprisoned former president Yoon Suk Yeol and former prime minister Han Duck-soo with criminal offences. The indictments of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and Han are part of three special prosecutor inquiries launched under the administration of liberal President Lee Jae Myung. These investigations are focused on the presidency of Yoon, a conservative who was removed from office in April and rearrested last month in connection with his declaration of martial law in December.

Yoon’s defence minister, safety minister, and numerous senior military commanders and police officials have already been arrested for their roles in enforcing martial law.

This marks the first time in South Korea’s history that a former First Lady has been indicted. She was arrested on multiple charges on August 12.

Kim and Yoon are under suspicion of having exerted undue influence over the conservative People Power Party, allegedly pressuring it to nominate a specific candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election at the request of election broker Myung Tae-kyun.

Myung is accused of having conducted opinion polls free of charge for Yoon, using manipulated data that may have contributed to Yoon’s success in the party’s presidential primaries ahead of his eventual election as president.

Earlier this month, Kim apologised for causing public concern but also indicated she would contest the allegations, describing herself as “someone insignificant.”

In a televised briefing, assistant special counsel Park Ji-young stated that Han was the highest-ranking official who could have stopped Yoon’s attempt to declare martial law. Park said Han nonetheless played an “active” role by attempting to have Yoon’s decree approved during a Cabinet Council meeting, thereby lending it “procedural legitimacy.”

Han has insisted that he conveyed his opposition to Yoon’s martial law proposal at the time.

Appointed prime minister — South Korea’s second-highest office — by Yoon, Han served as acting head of state after Yoon was impeached in mid-December.

Following Yoon’s formal removal from office by the Constitutional Court, Han was expected to lead the caretaker government until the presidential election in June. However, he resigned to pursue the presidency himself, though the conservative party ultimately selected a different candidate.

AP