Interrogation of former First Lady of South Korea Kim Kyun-hee in corruption and electoral interference cases

Kim Kyun-hee, the former First Lady of South Korea, appeared today, Wednesday, August 6, before the Special Counsel's Office in the capital, Seoul, to give her testimony in investigations related to her involvement in stock market manipulation, electoral interference, and receiving bribes, according to the official Yonhap news agency.
With this step, Kim became the first wife of a former South Korean president to be publicly interrogated in a criminal case. Before entering the investigation building, Kim briefly told reporters: "I feel very sorry that someone like me has caused concern for the people; I will sincerely cooperate with the investigation."
The investigations focus on allegations against Kim of being involved in a scheme to manipulate the stock prices of "Deutsche Motors" _the official dealer of "BMW" cars in South Korea_ from 2009 to 2012. She also faces accusations of interfering in the selection of candidates for the 2022 by-elections and the 2024 general elections.
Additionally, Kim's office is accused of receiving luxury gifts from the "Unification Church" through a spiritual intermediary in exchange for granting business privileges. Yonhap reported that the investigation team is examining 16 criminal charges against her, increasing the likelihood of her being summoned again to complete the investigations.
It is worth noting that her husband, former president Yoon Suk-yeol, was removed from office last April, before being re-arrested last month following his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024, a decision that sparked widespread controversy in the country.