Special Counsel
Special counsel concludes probe with indictments against ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee
Reported by AI Image generated by AI
In the final act of its 180-day investigation launched in July 2025—including former President Yoon Suk Yeol's questioning on December 20—the special counsel team on December 29 announced results accusing ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee of corruption, stock manipulation, bribery, and illegal intervention in state affairs. The probe led to 20 detentions and 66 indictments, including Kim; Yoon was referred to police without indictment.
Opposition leader Jang Dong-hyeok of the main opposition People Power Party called on Wednesday for separate special counsel probes into the Unification Church's alleged ties with ruling Democratic Party lawmakers and bribery linked to party nominations. He also demanded an independent investigation into the prosecution's controversial decision last November not to appeal a land development corruption case involving President Lee Jae-myung. The move comes amid the Democratic Party's push for a comprehensive special counsel investigation.
Reported by AI
A special counsel team raided South Korea's labor ministry on Tuesday to investigate allegations of unpaid severance pay to Coupang employees. The search targeted the ministry's headquarters in Sejong and the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office. The probe focuses on suspected changes to employment rules by Coupang's logistics subsidiary.