3·9 Presidential Election D?j? Vu? Renewed Ruling and Opposition Parties' 'Spouse Risk' Clash

與 "Lee Jae-myung, a model of joint police-prosecutor investigation by a couple... 'Self-exit' No.1" harshly criticized
Opposition "Summoned for 78,000 won but not for billions in stock manipulation?" demands 'Special Prosecutor'

Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, is appearing on the 23rd at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, to undergo investigation related to the 'corporate card misuse allegations.'
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] As Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, is under police investigation for 'corporate card misuse allegations,' the ruling party is launching an offensive against the opposition, demanding a "self-expulsion." Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is countering by criticizing the inadequate police and prosecution investigations into First Lady Kim Keon-hee, spouse of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Following the March 9 presidential election, the 'spouse risk' of key figures from both parties appears to have emerged as a political flashpoint.

On the 23rd, Kim underwent about five hours of police questioning on allegations of 'corporate card misuse.' The People Power Party raised suspicions in December last year and February this year that Kim had involved Bae, a Grade 5 special-appointed public official, in personal errands and had him pay for meals using the Gyeonggi Province corporate card. They filed complaints against Lee, Kim, and Bae for abuse of authority and loss of public funds. The police reportedly requested a pre-trial detention warrant for the key figure Bae, while planning to send Kim to prosecution without detention.

Regarding the corporate card misuse allegations, candidate Lee stated that he believed Kim had paid with Bae's personal card and denied involvement in embezzlement. On the evening of the 23rd, Lee posted on Facebook, "I deeply apologize once again to the public for failing to properly manage my subordinate and for my wife receiving personal help from a public official," while also drawing a line from the illegal misuse allegations by saying, "I am infinitely sorry as a husband to my wife who is going through a pain that may happen once in a lifetime, even though she neither used the corporate card nor instructed or condoned its improper use."

Within the Democratic Party, voices suggest that prosecuting Kim or candidate Lee for illegal misuse allegations is excessive. Woo Sang-ho, emergency committee chairman, said on the 23rd on BBS Radio's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' "I reviewed the matter while serving as the general headquarters chief during the presidential election. The corporate card issue is an inappropriate wrongdoing, but it is not a case where candidate Lee or Kim directly ordered or intervened," judging that prosecution is unlikely. On the 24th, Jin Sung-jun, the party's floor deputy leader, responded on YTN Radio's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon,' "I wonder if this is a matter serious enough to warrant prosecution and trial. Could this be a case fabricated to damage Lee during the election process?"

On the other hand, the ruling party launched fierce attacks, accusing candidate Lee of denying charges and playing the 'victim.' On the 24th, Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, wrote on his Facebook, "Kim could not have been unaware of corporate card misuse as the wife of an elected official for over 10 years. Did she feign incompetence to avoid crime?" He added, "Despite the grim situation where the couple is supposed to set an example for joint police and prosecution investigations, candidate Lee shifts responsibility to Secretary Bae and theatrically acts as an innocent victim." On the same day, lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun raised the criticism level by calling candidate Lee the "No. 1 candidate for 'self-expulsion.'"

First Lady Kim Keon-hee, spouse of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

In response, the Democratic Party counterattacked by targeting First Lady Kim Keon-hee, spouse of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Unlike the 'political retaliation' investigation against Kim Hye-kyung, they argue that police investigations into Kim Keon-hee's alleged stock price manipulation of Deutsch Motors and false resume claims are being conducted in a 'lenient' manner. On the 25th, after reports that the prosecution decided not to indict Kim Keon-hee over false resume allegations, party spokesperson Shin Hyun-young criticized, "It raises doubts whether the police and prosecution regard judicial authority as a private power to apply at their discretion."

Within the party, discussions are underway about pushing for a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations against Kim Keon-hee. On the 22nd, twelve lawmakers from the Democratic Party's hardline freshman group 'Cheoreomhoe' proposed a bill titled 'Act on Appointment of a Special Prosecutor for the Truth Investigation into Stock Price Manipulation and False Resume Cases of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Spouse Kim Keon-hee.' Lawmaker Seo Young-kyo, who proposed the bill, stated in a TV Chosun 'News Parade' interview on the 25th, "There were 129 search and seizure operations related to Kim Hye-kyung. At minimum, similar search and summons procedures should be conducted regarding Kim Keon-hee."

Regarding the call for a 'Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor,' the ruling party expressed difficulty in accepting it, calling it a "partisan ploy." On the 25th, lawmaker Heo Eun-ah appeared on BBS Radio and said, "Not only did the Democratic Party form to support Lee Jae-myung, but now it seems they are trying to save Kim Hye-kyung. It is regrettable as it looks like an attempt to divert attention and turn this into political strife at all costs." On the previous day, lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae warned on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "We need to consider whether such smear tactics will help the Democratic Party. It will be a self-inflicted wound for the party."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.