Police Refer Kim Yonghyun and Kim Sunghoon Over 'Yoon Onboard Party,' Excluding Kim Keonhee
by Jang Heejun
Published 11 May.2026 16:40(KST)
Case Against Kim Keonhee to Be Closed Due to Insufficient Evidence
Kim Yonghyun, former Minister of National Defense, and Kim Sunghoon, former Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, have been referred to the prosecution on allegations that they orchestrated an on-board party held by former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse Kim Keonhee on a Navy vessel.
The Special Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency announced on the 11th that Kim Yonghyun has been referred without detention on charges of instructing abuse of authority and perjury, while Kim Sunghoon faces charges of abuse of authority. As for Kim Keonhee, who had been under investigation for instructing abuse of authority under the Presidential Security Act in this case, the police stated that the case would be closed without referral due to insufficient evidence.
According to the police, in August 2023, while serving as Chief of the Presidential Security Service, Kim Yonghyun allegedly instructed, through then-Director of Planning and Management Kim Sunghoon, that security staff procure luxury food ingredients for the presidential summer vacation event, install a karaoke machine on the VIP Navy vessel for a party, and prepare fireworks, among other excessive orders—thereby instructing abuse of authority. Kim Sunghoon is accused of carrying out these orders by having security staff obtain items such as groupers, as well as misusing his authority by blocking the vessel's docking or ordering abrupt course changes to enable closer viewing of fireworks.
It has been confirmed that the Special Investigation Headquarters did not conduct an investigation into Kim Keonhee. In December of last year, the Kim Keonhee Special Prosecutor’s Team attempted to investigate her regarding this matter, but it is reported that she refused to cooperate.
The police, after interviewing staff from the Presidential Security Service, Navy, and those involved with the VIP vessel, stated that they found no evidence of instructions or requests from Kim Keonhee and concluded that the actions were taken voluntarily by Kim Sunghoon and others. There was no confirmation that Kim Keonhee requested the procurement of luxury food ingredients, such as groupers, or demanded fireworks.
The perjury charge additionally applied to Kim Yonghyun stems from testimony he gave as a witness during the fourth constitutional court impeachment trial session in January of last year, where he denied having given instructions to remove National Assembly members in order to block the vote on lifting martial law, despite having actually issued such orders.