South Korea’s first lady, Kim Keon Hee, has been questioned by prosecutors over allegations of stock manipulation and corruption related to a luxury handbag worth $2,200.
The 12-hour questioning came as the opposition called for a special investigation into the first lady for accepting a Dior bag in breach of government ethics rules and for her alleged role in a stock-rigging scheme .
A hidden camera footage released last year appeared to show Kim Keon Hee accepting a $2,200 luxury bag, an act that was later dubbed the “Dior bag scandal” by local newspapers.
Such a gift would violate South Korean law
The scandal damaged President Yoon Suk Yeol’s image, contributing to a stinging defeat for his party in the April election, which failed to regain a parliamentary majority.
Such a gift would violate South Korean law, which prohibits civil servants and their wives from accepting anything worth more than $750.
Why would the first lady of South Korea accept the luxury bag?
Kim’s assistant told investigators earlier this month that the first lady told her to return the bag the same day she received it, but she forgot to do so, according to Yonhap news agency.
In his first statement on the bag scandal in February, President Yoon said it was a “political stunt” and said his wife only accepted the bag because it was difficult for her to refuse. However, he later apologized at a press conference in May, describing his wife’s acceptance of the bag as “reckless”.
Source: www.descopera.ro
