Arrest warrant sought for South Korea's ex-first lady Kim
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South Korean prosecutors request the arrest of ex-First Lady Kim Keon Hee over bribery, stock manipulation, and election interference allegations.
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Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea's ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at the special prosecutor's office in Seoul, South Korea, on August 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean prosecutors on Thursday formally requested an arrest warrant for former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, following extensive questioning over allegations including bribery, stock manipulation, and interference in political nominations.
The request marks an unprecedented moment in South Korean history. If approved, it would be the first time both a former president and a first lady are detained simultaneously. "We requested an arrest warrant for Kim at 1:21 pm (04:21 GMT)," the special counsel’s office confirmed in a statement.
The 52-year-old appeared for questioning on Wednesday and reportedly denied the charges. "I sincerely apologize for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance," Kim said upon arriving at the prosecutors' office.
Kim has long faced public scrutiny, with controversy reigniting in 2022 after she was filmed receiving a Dior handbag from a self-proclaimed admirer. In addition to bribery and stock-related charges, she is also accused of violating election laws by interfering in her husband’s party’s nomination process for parliamentary candidates.
The arrest request comes as her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, remains in detention following his declaration of martial law in December. The order, which briefly suspended civilian rule, was overturned by parliament before being formally challenged in court.
Yoon had previously vetoed three investigation bills passed by the opposition-controlled parliament that aimed to probe the allegations against Kim. His last veto came in late November, just one week before his martial law announcement.
Yoon, a former chief prosecutor, was impeached and removed from office in April over the incident, triggering a snap presidential election in June.
South Korea's ousted Yoon defies prosecutors
Last week, efforts to enforce a detention warrant against Yoon were halted on August 1 after he refused to comply with special prosecutors, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency. The failed attempt came amid mounting legal and political fallout from Yoon’s brief and controversial tenure, which ended in impeachment and formal removal from office earlier this year.
Assistant Special Counsel Moon Hong-ju, joined by a prosecutor and an investigator, visited the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, where Yoon has been held since July under a renewed arrest warrant. The team reached the area just outside Yoon’s cell and instructed prison officials to bring him out. "We could not complete the execution of the detention warrant for former President Yoon due to his adamant refusal," the team confirmed following the confrontation.
The warrant stems from an ongoing special investigation into allegations that Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, interfered in the nomination process for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. Despite being summoned twice this week for questioning, Yoon declined to appear, citing "his deteriorating health." Prosecutors have stated they are prepared to forcibly bring him in if necessary.
