Presidential Office on Mrs. Kim's Prosecutor Investigation: "Direct Comments Inappropriate... Legal Representative Will Issue Statement"

No Compromise Intended on Attending the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Hearing

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office stated on the 21st that regarding inquiries about First Lady Kim Geon-hee's private prosecution investigation the previous day, "Kim's legal representative will issue a statement."

A Presidential Office official said to reporters on the same day, "It is deemed inappropriate for the Presidential Office to directly comment on matters under prosecution investigation," explaining the position.

When asked whether the First Lady submitted the bag involved in the bribery allegations to the prosecution, the official responded, "If necessary, confirmation should be made by the legal representative on this matter as well."

Regarding questions about whether First Lady Kim, who has been summoned as a witness for the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee hearing scheduled on the 26th, will attend, the official said, "There is no change from the previous stance," emphasizing, "The basic principle is that the Presidential Office has no intention to compromise on unconstitutional and illegal matters."

On the same day, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jae-hoon) and Criminal Division 1 (Chief Prosecutor Kim Seung-ho) announced that on the 20th, they summoned First Lady Kim to the government security building under the jurisdiction of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office for a face-to-face investigation.

The prosecution investigation lasted about 12 hours, from around 1:30 p.m. the previous day until 1:20 a.m. on the day, reportedly focusing on First Lady Kim's involvement in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case and the bribery allegations related to the bag. Kim's legal representative, Attorney Choi Ji-woo, stated, "First Lady Kim sincerely participated in the investigation and testified truthfully."