Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee declined to appear before prosecutors on Wednesday, defying a formal summons for questioning over allegations of political influence in the 2022 parliamentary bye-elections.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office had requested Kim’s presence at 9 a.m. as a suspect in an ongoing investigation. However, Kim submitted a letter of excuse the previous day, citing concerns that her appearance could sway public sentiment ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
Kim is under investigation for alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act and the Political Funds Act. She is accused of orchestrating the nomination of former People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun through political fixer Myung Tae-kyun, who reportedly facilitated favorable opinion polls for President Yoon Suk Yeol during the 2022 presidential campaign.
In addition to the bye-election allegations, Kim is also suspected of exerting undue influence over candidate selections during the 2022 local elections and the 2024 general elections.
Prosecutors are considering a new summons date and have not ruled out requesting a detention warrant should Kim continue to defy their calls without justifiable grounds. “If she continues to disregard summonses, we will thoroughly review the circumstances and proceed in accordance with standard legal procedure,” a prosecution official told Yonhap News Agency.
These developments come against the backdrop of a tumultuous political period for South Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol—who ascended rapidly from prosecutor to head of state—was recently removed from office following a controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024. His tenure was marked by repeated clashes with a National Assembly controlled by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), including the veto of 25 legislative bills and deepening political divisions.
Yoon, once lauded for his anti-corruption crusades as a prosecutor, particularly his pivotal role in the investigation that led to former President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, entered politics in 2021 and won the presidency in 2022 under the PPP banner. His downfall underscores the volatility and polarization currently shaping South Korea’s political landscape.
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