Special counsel Min Joong-ki, investigating various allegations related to Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, speaks to reporters as he arrives at his office in Seoul in this July 1, 2025, file photo. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A special counsel team said Thursday it will thoroughly investigate allegations former first lady Kim Keon Hee took bribes in the form of business sponsorships while organizing exhibitions as then head of a cultural contents company.
The team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki said it has reviewed past investigation records regarding the allegations stemming from Kim’s time as CEO of Covana Contents.
Kim resigned after her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was elected in 2022, and the company was later dissolved.
“We plan to thoroughly investigate the case so that no suspicions remain following the special counsel’s probe,” assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee said during a press briefing.
Oh said the team has also summoned the president and the former CEO of Well Biotec, a company that took part in a Ukraine reconstruction forum in Poland in 2023 and later saw its share price spike, to appear for questioning on Sunday.
Well Biotec has been linked to Sambu Construction, a mid-sized builder suspected of deceiving investors into thinking it would take part in reconstruction projects in Ukraine in order to raise its share price, before a dozen former and current company owners and executives sold their shares to pocket profits worth tens of billions of won.
The former first lady is alleged to have played a role in the scheme.
Lee Il-jun and Cho Sung-ok, the current and former chairmen of Sambu, respectively, appeared at the special counsel’s office earlier Thursday to undergo questioning.
(Yonhap)
