Former President and First Lady Detained Simultaneously

Major International Media Outlets Give Prominent Coverage

NYT: "Suspected of Exerting Significant Influence Over Husband's Administration"

The Guardian Highlights Degree Revocations Due to Plagiarism

With the detention of former President Yoon Sukyeol's wife, Kim Gunhee, major international media outlets have reported the event as a historic first in South Korea, noting that it is unprecedented for both a former president and first lady to be detained at the same time.

The New York Times (NYT) gave significant coverage to the arrest of First Lady Kim Gunhee. Photo by The New York Times website capture.

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The New York Times (NYT) on August 12 (local time) published a detailed article titled "Former South Korean First Lady Detained on Corruption Charges," accompanied by several photographs, covering Kim's detention in depth.

NYT emphasized that Kim is the only former first lady in South Korea to have been detained, pointing out that while four other former presidents have been detained, this is the first instance where both spouses have been detained simultaneously. The article further noted, "Kim was believed to have exerted significant influence over her husband's administration," and introduced the local joke among the public: "'VIP 1 Kim Gunhee,' 'VIP 2 President Yoon.'"

Yoon Sukyeol's wife, Kim Gunhee, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News

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The British daily The Guardian also reported that Kim was suspected of wielding considerable influence behind the scenes during Yoon's presidency. The Guardian stated, "She was believed to have exercised enormous behind-the-scenes influence while her husband was in office, which led to numerous controversies throughout his term," and referenced the Dior bag scandal. The Guardian additionally noted that in recent weeks, Kim's master's and doctoral degrees had been revoked due to plagiarism.

American broadcaster CNN also featured the news of Kim's detention as the top story on the Asia section of its international website. CNN reported that Kim is expected to be held at a southern detention center, separate from the facility where former President Yoon is currently incarcerated.

Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that numerous Korean media outlets covered the arrest. According to the special prosecutor's request, the Seoul Central District Court reviewed the arrest warrant on the 12th and determined that the detention was justified.

Yonhap News

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Major news agencies such as Reuters and AP also provided detailed coverage of Kim's detention. On the night of the 12th, Judge Jeong Jaeuk, who oversees warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for Kim on charges of violating the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery mediation). Judge Jeong explained the decision by stating, "There is a concern that evidence may be destroyed."