The Paradox of the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor and Prosecution Reform. The Necklace Incident: Dropped from Indictment, Used in Warrant Justification, Debates over Political Investigation. Hanmi Ilbo Graphics

 Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor: Inconsistency in the Necklace Incident

In August 2025, Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun's team, dedicated to investigating allegations concerning First Lady Kim Keon Hee, secured a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace submitted by Seo Hee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-kwan during his voluntary surrender.

The incident immediately captured public attention and emerged as a symbol of the investigation.

However, the final indictment did not include charges related to the necklace. This was due to uncertainties about its authenticity and incomplete direct investigation of Chairman Lee, who was hospitalized following surgery.

The situation differed during the warrant review process.

While not explicitly listing the necklace as a charge, the special prosecutor's team used it as grounds for potential evidence tampering and concerns about false testimony.

The necklace was excluded from the indictment but utilized to secure detention. This discrepancy between indictment and warrant is cited as a typical example of prioritizing political effect over legal consistency.

Political Calculation Revealed by Obsession with Detention

The Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor's team requested an arrest warrant in late August. Given that key evidence had already been secured and the flight risk was not significant, a non-custodial indictment would have been sufficient for trial.

The desperate pursuit of detention is interpreted as prioritizing political symbolism over legal necessity.

A trial while in detention goes beyond mere legal proceedings; it carries significant political impact. The detention of a presidential spouse directly affects the president himself, potentially granting political advantage to the ruling party.

The analysis that the special prosecutor's team actively considered public opinion is persuasive, given that the necklace incident was publicized through media reports before the arrest warrant was sought.

The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Entangled in Independence Controversy

The Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor's investigation, launched concurrently with the Kim Keon Hee investigation, also became embroiled in political controversy.

Although established to uncover the truth behind the military death, questions arose regarding the investigation's independence due to Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun's past involvement in military service evasion investigations and allegations of political ties.

Suspicion that it was a "special prosecutor for attacking the administration" rather than focusing on the essence of the case undermined the investigation's credibility from the outset.

Ultimately, the Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor's investigation was consumed by its political context rather than the case itself.

While the Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor's office revealed its political nature through the discrepancy between indictment and warrant, the Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor's investigation emphasized its political character from its inception and through the selection of its prosecutor.

Both cases demonstrate that the special prosecutor system can be operated more politically than the prosecution.

Self-Contradiction in the Discourse of Prosecution Reform

Special prosecutors were originally established to check the politicization of the prosecution. However, the recent actions of these two special prosecutor teams were more overtly political than the prosecution itself.

As part of the executive branch with institutional constraints, the prosecution often adopts a cautious stance regarding allegations of political intervention. In contrast, special prosecutors, operating with limited authority and pressure for results, boldly pursue politically charged objectives.

The handling of the necklace incident by the Kim Keon Hee special prosecutor's office and the independence controversy surrounding the Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor's investigation both reveal the process of judicial procedures becoming politicized.

As the perception grows that investigations prioritize political impact over the realization of justice, the credibility of the special prosecutor system erodes.

This situation inevitably casts doubt on the authenticity of the "prosecution reform" championed by the Democratic Party under Lee Jae-myung's administration.

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