[Full Text] Kim Geonhee Admits Receiving Chanel Bags, Denies Any Solicitation or Quid Pro Quo with Unification Church

by Ku Chaeeun

Published 05 Nov.2025 10:34(KST)

Kim Geonhee, wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, has admitted to receiving two Chanel bags from Jeon Seongbae, also known as Geonjin Bopsa, on behalf of the Unification Church. However, she continues to deny allegations regarding the acceptance of a Graff diamond necklace. Kim stated, "I deeply apologize for my shortcomings."

Kim Gunhee, who was arrested and indicted on charges including stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors, interference in candidate nomination by Myung Taegyun, and allegations of solicitation and bribery involving the Unification Church, bowed her head after attending the first trial held on the afternoon of the 24th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The following is the full statement released by Kim Geonhee’s legal team.

"I deeply apologize for my shortcomings."

Our legal team would like to first convey Mrs. Kim Geonhee’s sincere apology to the public for causing concern in connection with this case. As the spouse of a public official, Mrs. Kim acknowledges that she should have conducted herself with greater caution and deeply regrets disappointing the public through her inappropriate actions.

Mrs. Kim Geonhee admits to the fact stated in indictment item 3, that she received "two bags as gifts" from Jeon Seongbae on two occasions. However, she clearly states that there was no collusion with the Unification Church or any form of solicitation or quid pro quo involved in the process, and she "explicitly denies the allegation of accepting the Graff necklace." The defendant initially refused the bags, but after Jeon Seongbae’s persuasion, she failed to uphold the higher standards expected of a public official’s spouse in her relationship with him. She deeply regrets this failure and wishes to clarify that all the gifts were returned to Jeon Seongbae in the past without ever being used.

The testimony of Jeon Seongbae, the key witness in this case, has changed multiple times from the early stages of the investigation through to the court proceedings. In particular, the special prosecutor conducted lengthy interviews and investigations while excluding Jeon’s legal counsel, despite his request for legal representation. No investigation reports were even filed during this process, which is a clear violation of procedural due process.

Furthermore, while the special prosecutor claims that various solicitations were made in exchange for valuables, none of these solicitations were ever conveyed to Mrs. Kim Geonhee. Most importantly, they are unrelated to the specific official duties of the President and amount to nothing more than vague expectations or friendly remarks. In addition, Yun Youngho himself has stated that he never made any specific requests to the defendant or the President. These facts clearly demonstrate that the "solicitation" alleged by the special prosecutor does not meet the legal requirements for the crime of third-party bribery.

Through this incident, Mrs. Kim Geonhee has come to realize the gravity of being the spouse of a public official and the seriousness of public expectations. She humbly accepts the public’s reprimand and, as she has done so far, will continue to faithfully participate in all proceedings and reveal the truth without a single lie. The legal team will ensure that, while the defendant deeply reflects on her improper conduct, all other matters are judged based on facts and the law, not speculation or distortion.

Once again, we express our sincere apologies to the people of Korea.