Prosecutor general promises swift investigation into first lady's acceptance of luxury bag

Prosecutor General Lee One-seok heads to his office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Prosecutor General Lee One-seok said Tuesday that an investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee’s acceptance of a luxury handbag will be “swift and stern according to the rule of law and evidence.”

His remarks appear to reiterate the law enforcement authority’s stance to uncover the truth through the prosecution office’s investigation, following his order on Thursday to form a dedicated team to probe the allegations against Kim. She is accused of receiving the bag from a pastor in 2022 in a possible violation of anti-graft laws.

Lee said that any additional comments at this time would "not have any significance" and that the importance lies in the "investigation's findings and its developments."

He also addressed the criticism that the investigation is to avoid having a special counsel-led investigation and prosecution, requesting reporters to keep their eyes on the ongoing investigation's progress and results. He added that he will have "an occasion to explain further later on."

The liberal Democratic Party has been calling for the appointment of a special counsel prosecutor to launch the investigation against Kim. The party is set to vote on the bill for the appointment at the upcoming 22nd National Assembly.

The accusation that Kim received the luxury Christian Dior handbag surfaced last November after a liberal YouTube news channel, Voice of Seoul, released a video showing a Korean American pastor, Choi Jae-young, handing the bag to Kim. The news outlet said the clip was filmed in September 2022, after Yoon Suk Yeol took presidential office.

The clip was allegedly recorded by a spy cam hidden in a wristwatch, and the bag was prepared by the Voice of Seoul.

Last December, the head of the news channel, Baek Eun-jong, officially reported the presidential couple to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on the charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and accepting the bribe.

According to legal sources on Sunday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is currently scheduling a questioning with Baek, who is called to cooperate with the investigation as a complainant. Four prosecutors specializing in anti-corruption, fair trade and restitution of criminal proceeds are in the investigation team.

Police on Tuesday said there is a need to "review whether Choi’s action of filming the bag exchange without Kim’s consent constitutes stalking.”

During Tuesday’s regular briefing, Cho Ji-ho, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said that how the video has been circulated on the internet should be investigated.

Cho said that despite the Voice of Seoul releasing the video, precisely identifying who distributed the clip is another matter.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]