Kim Keon-hee's third interrogation since arrest concludes after about 3 hours; summoned again on the 23rd

Questioned about allegations of "Gun Jin-beopsa's solicitation" ... refused to answer most questions, similar to the previous two interrogations.

First Lady Kim Keon-hee [Yonhap News Photo]

First Lady Kim Keon-hee appeared before Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki's team on the 21st and underwent her third interrogation since her arrest, lasting approximately three hours.

Ms. Kim arrived at the special prosecutor's office, located in the west wing of the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, via a Ministry of Justice escort vehicle and began her interrogation around 2:12 PM.

The interrogation concluded around 5:30 PM, and she finished reviewing the official record by approximately 6:24 PM.

Today's interrogation focused on the "Gun Jin-beopsa solicitation allegations." While the special prosecution team had prepared a question sheet of about 100 pages, Ms. Kim reportedly exercised her right to remain silent for most of the questions.

The special prosecution team plans to summon Ms. Kim once more on the morning of the 23rd at 10 AM to continue the investigation into the Gun Jin-beopsa allegations.

Ms. Kim was arrested on the 12th on charges of soliciting bribes for favor under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes. She had previously appeared for interrogations on the 14th and 18th.

Ms. Kim was initially notified of her summons for the 20th, but she submitted a handwritten letter to the special prosecution team stating that her attendance would be difficult due to poor health, and the schedule was postponed by one day.

It was reported that she attended today's interrogation after receiving an in-person medical examination at the Southern Seoul Detention Center in the morning.

In previous interrogations, the special prosecution team questioned her about allegations of interference in nominations by Myung Tae-gyun and stock manipulation by Deutsch Motors, but Ms. Kim also refused to answer most questions at those times.

Kim Keon-hee, third appearance at special prosecution after arrest (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Hwa-young = An escort vehicle carrying Kim Keon-hee enters the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the office of Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki, investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee, is located, on the 21st. 2025.8.21 hwayoung7@yna.co.kr

Ms. Kim is accused of receiving requests for the Unification Church's organizational matters, including expensive necklaces, from Jeon Sung-bae, referred to as "Gun Jin-beopsa," between April and August 2022, under charges of soliciting bribes for favor as stipulated by the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes.

She also faces accusations of influencing the nomination of former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun for a by-election in the same year, in exchange for receiving free opinion poll results 58 times from "political broker" Myung Tae-gyun during the 2022 presidential election campaign alongside former President Yoon Suk-yeol, in violation of the Political Funds Act. Furthermore, she is accused of participating as a financier ("Jeonju") in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case that occurred between 2009 and 2012, in violation of the Capital Markets Act. Yonhap News