Prosecutor General Will Review First Lady’s Case if Appeal is Filed

Seoul: Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung announced Monday that he will exercise his investigative authority in the case involving first lady Kim Keon Hee and alleged stock manipulation if an appeal is lodged against the recent decision not to indict her. According to Yonhap News Agency, the statement was made during a parliamentary inspection of the Supreme Prosecutors Office. This follows the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office's decision last Thursday not to indict the first lady over allegations of using her stock trading accounts in a stock price manipulation scheme linked to Deutsch Motors Inc., a BMW dealership, between 2009 and 2012. Opposition parties have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, prompting former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, the accuser in the case, to pledge filing an appeal with the Seoul High Prosecutors Office. In response to an inquiry by a Democratic Party lawmaker about his readiness to step in should the High Prosecutors Office initiate a probe, Shim affirmed his willingness to reassume his investigative role. This potential move comes despite a 2020 order by then Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, which removed the prosecutor general's investigative authority in this specific case. Consequently, the decision to not indict was made by Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, and Shim was only briefed on the matter without access to detailed records. Shim emphasized that the case would be thoroughly re-evaluated if an appeal is indeed filed, indicating a continuing saga in this high-profile case.