Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor, 'Allegations of Cover-up of Secretary's Child School Violence' Also Under Investigation [Comprehensive]

[Financial News] The special prosecutor team led by Min Jung-gi is investigating allegations of a cover-up regarding school violence involving the child of a secretary who assisted Kim Geon-hee.
According to the legal community on the 8th, the special prosecutor team recently received materials related to the school violence controversy involving the child of Kim Seung-hee, former presidential protocol secretary, from the Seongnam Education Support Office in Gyeonggi Province, including recordings from the School Violence Countermeasure Committee.
The allegations surfaced after it was revealed through some media reports that Kim Geon-hee had a phone call lasting over 8 minutes with the Deputy Minister of Education shortly after a school violence incident occurred in July 2023. The special prosecutor team is looking into whether the Ministry of Education, after receiving Kim's call, actually instructed to cover up the school violence case.
At the time, the daughter of Secretary Kim, who was a third grader at an elementary school in Seongnam, assaulted a second-grade female student from the same school multiple times in the school bathroom using her fists. The victim suffered injuries such as corneal damage, and the school imposed an emergency guidance measure of suspension on Kim's daughter. Although a school violence committee meeting was held following the victim's report, the committee only imposed a 10-day suspension and class transfer, without enforcing the forced transfer requested by the victim's side.
Former Secretary Kim resigned after the allegations were raised during a National Assembly audit that same year. It is reported that he completed a media graduate school course with Kim Geon-hee in 2009. During the 20th presidential election, he also served as the head of the public relations planning team for Yoon Seok-yeol's campaign.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor team has also launched a forced investigation into former prosecutor Kim Sang-min, who appears in the 'Myung Tae-kyun Nomination Interference Allegation'. The team conducted a search and seizure of Kim's residence in the provinces from the morning and plans to summon him for questioning at 10 AM on the 9th.
Kim Geon-hee and former President Yoon Seok-yeol are suspected of intervening to nominate former prosecutor Kim in the Changwon Uichang District of Gyeongnam ahead of last year's general election. The special prosecutor team believes that the painting 'From Point No.800298' by artist Lee Woo-hwan, found at the home of Kim's brother-in-law, Jin-woo Kim, was purchased and delivered by former prosecutor Kim. The team plans to investigate whether Kim bought the painting to secure the nomination, among other 'bribery allegations'.
Former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo will also appear before the special prosecutor at 2 PM on the same day. Lee Bong-gwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, admitted to giving Kim Geon-hee a 'Van Cleef & Arpels Necklace' and a NATO tour 3-piece set as a gift while making a personnel request for his son-in-law, former prosecutor Park Seong-geun. Since former President Yoon stated that he recommended Park to former Prime Minister Han, the special prosecutor team will question whether Han made the recommendation knowing these details and whether Kim's influence played a role.
The Special Prosecutor's Office for Rebellion and Foreign Affairs (led by Cho Eun-seok) stated that if lawmakers from the People Power Party do not cooperate with the investigation into the allegations of obstruction of the National Assembly's vote on the martial law lift proposal, they may also request witness subpoenas, according to Park Ji-young, the assistant special prosecutor for rebellion. 

theknight@fnnews.com Jeong Kyung-soo Reporter