Return of 'Butler' on Kim Geon-hee's Detention Review Day... Special Prosecutor Arrests and Investigates at Incheon Airport

The special prosecutor team for Kim Geon-hee (Min Jung-gi, special prosecutor) has arrested and begun investigating Kim Ye-seong, known as the 'butler' of Kim Geon-hee's family, upon his return to the country. As Kim is a key figure in various allegations surrounding Mrs. Kim, such as the 'Butler Gate' and 'Kobana Contents Bribery Request Allegations', the special prosecutor's investigation is expected to gain momentum.

The special prosecutor team arrested Kim at Incheon International Airport around 5:10 PM on the 12th.

After former President Yoon Seok-yeol was dismissed last April, Kim suddenly left for Vietnam, and his whereabouts became unclear. Although the special prosecutor team pressured Kim several times to return to the country for questioning, he did not comply. Later, through his lawyer, Kim set a condition that he would return if the travel ban on his wife, Jeong Mo, was lifted and she was allowed to go to Vietnam to take care of their children, but the special prosecutor team rejected this.

Ultimately, it seems Kim returned just before his passport's expiration date. It is known that Kim's passport expires on the 13th.

The special prosecutor team plans to quickly start the investigation after securing Kim's custody. Considering the suspicion that Kim stayed abroad for a long time to avoid investigation, there is also a possibility that an arrest warrant will be requested immediately after the investigation, taking into account the risk of flight.

The special prosecutor team intends to focus on questioning Kim about the 'Butler Gate' and 'Kobana Contents Bribery Request Allegations'. Specifically, they plan to inquire about the background of IMS Mobility receiving hundreds of billions of won in investment while in a poor state, the specific circumstances of acquiring 4.6 billion won, and his relationship with Mrs. Kim.

The 'Butler Gate' centers on the fact that in June 2023, IMS Mobility (formerly Be My Car), which Kim was involved in establishing, received investments worth 18.4 billion won from conglomerates and securities and financial companies, despite being in a state of capital erosion with accumulated losses in the billions of won according to accounting standards. The 'Kobana Contents Bribery Request Allegations' involve claims that several companies made bribery-like sponsorships for four exhibitions held by Kobana Contents, operated by Mrs. Kim, from 2015 to 2019.


kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-kyu Reporter