A special counsel team raided the home of Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon of the main opposition People Power Party on Wednesday over bribery allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team said its investigators searched Rep. Kim’s home to gather evidence related to a luxury gift allegedly given to the former first lady two years ago.
The team is also attempting to raid Rep. Kim’s office at the National Assembly.
The lawmaker’s wife, surnamed Lee, is suspected of delivering a Roger Vivier clutch bag worth 2.6 million won ($1,760) to Kim soon after Rep. Kim was elected the PPP chairperson in March 2023.
The search and seizure warrant obtained by the special counsel team reportedly lists Rep. Kim as an accomplice in the alleged anti-graft law violation by Lee.
The clutch bag was discovered at the former first lady’s home, along with a thank you letter written by Lee, during the special counsel team’s raid on Nov. 6.
The team suspects that Kim colluded with a shaman to recruit about 2,400 Unification Church members to the PPP to support Rep. Kim in the party leadership race and the gift was given in return for the support.
Rep. Kim has acknowledged the delivery of the gift but denied the bribery allegations, saying it was done just out of social courtesy. (Yonhap)
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