Special Prosecutor Kim Keon Hee Wraps Up 180-Day Investigation... Achievements Include Detention of 'V0', Kweon Seong-dong, and Hak Ja Han

[Financial News] The Special Prosecutor Team for Kim Keon Hee, led by Min Joong-ki, is concluding its 180-day investigation. By indicting Kim, also known as 'V0', the team has substantiated various allegations that had surfaced. The investigation also led to the detention of high-profile figures such as People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong and Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han, which is being hailed as a tangible achievement.
However, in some major cases such as the 'Butler Gate', the team was unable to confirm Kim's involvement. The investigation also sparked several controversies, including claims of a 'biased probe into the Unification Church'.
According to legal sources on the 28th, the Special Prosecutor Team will conclude its investigation today and announce the final results on the 29th. The team officially began its work on July 2, initially focusing on three main allegations: DEUTSCH MOTORS stock manipulation, Myung Tae-kyun's nomination interference, and lobbying by Geonjin Beopsa.
The team adopted a 'bottom-up' investigation strategy, starting with reference witnesses and gradually narrowing in on key suspects to build the case against Kim Keon Hee.
After securing evidence and testimonies, the team summoned Kim Keon Hee about a month after its launch and promptly requested an arrest warrant the following day, successfully persuading the court. As a result, Kim became the first current or former First Lady to be publicly summoned and subsequently detained.
After wrapping up the first phase, the team concentrated on the 'sale of public office' allegations. During the investigation, it was revealed that valuables were delivered to Kim Keon Hee in exchange for nominations and other favors. These included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, a golden turtle from former National Education Commission Chair Lee Bae-yong, a painting by artist Lee Ufan from former Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Sang-min, and a Vacheron Constantin watch from businessman Seo Seong-bin. On the 26th, Kim was additionally indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery mediation) in connection with these allegations. The team also investigated suspicions regarding a Roger Vivier bag received by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, resulting in the non-custodial indictment of Kim and his spouse.
The team also focused on the 'Unification Church lobbying allegations.' For the first time, a sitting member of the 22nd National Assembly, Kweon Seong-dong, was detained. The team also secured the custody of Unification Church figures, including President Hak Ja Han and former World Headquarters Director Yoon Young-ho.
There were obstacles as well. Forty prosecutors seconded to the team issued a statement of return in protest of the government's official move to abolish the prosecution service, causing internal friction. Although the leadership managed to resolve the situation, it inevitably weakened the momentum of the investigation. In October, a Yangpyeong County official under investigation for alleged preferential treatment in the Seoul–Yangpyeong Expressway development died by suicide, sparking allegations of coercive investigation. Further controversy arose over Min Joong-ki's alleged insider trading, leading to internal and external repercussions.
Toward the end of the investigation, controversy erupted over alleged bias in the Unification Church probe. The team reportedly found evidence that the Unification Church had lobbied not only People Power Party officials but also those from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). However, instead of investigating these leads, the team referred them to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), fueling further backlash.
The team's inability to clarify Kim Keon Hee's direct involvement in the 'Seoul–Yangpyeong Expressway endpoint change allegations', 'SAMBU CONSTRUCTION stock manipulation allegations', and 'Butler Gate', as well as the failure to determine whether former President Yoon Suk-yeol was involved in the sale of public office or whether the couple received bribes, remain as blemishes on the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Korean National Police Agency's special investigation team summoned Jung Won-joo, former chief secretary to Hak Ja Han, as a suspect. The team focused on allegations that he delivered valuables to political figures, including former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Jeon Jae-soo.
Jung is known as the second-in-command of the Unification Church, having served as deputy director of Cheon Mu Won, the church's highest administrative body, and as Hak Ja Han's closest aide.
Police suspect that Jung, who oversaw the Unification Church's finances, may have been aware of or involved in the delivery of tens of millions of won to former Minister Jeon, former DPK lawmaker Jong-Sung Yim, and former United Future Party lawmaker Kyuhwan Kim between 2018 and 2020. Investigators are also probing whether lobbying for the Japan–Korea Undersea Tunnel and other church-related issues occurred during the process of delivering these valuables.
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo, Jang Yoo-ha Reporter