Arrest warrant issued for Yoon Suk Yeol's wife

A Seoul court issues an arrest warrant for Kim Keon Hee as prosecutors pursue charges including bribery, stock manipulation and meddling in a candidate selection.

South Korean court orders arrest of wife of jailed ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol

A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Keon Hee, the wife of jailed former president Yoon Suk Yeol, as investigators pursue charges that include bribery, stock manipulation and meddling in a candidate selection. The Seoul Central District Court ordered her detention at a facility in southern Seoul after questioning that lasted hours. The move comes amid three special prosecutor probes launched by the liberal government targeting the Yoon presidency, a rarity in which a president and first lady face simultaneous criminal scrutiny.

The case tests how far political pressure can push legal accountability. It underscores a shift toward aggressive investigations that reach beyond officials to their spouses, fueling public concern about due process and political motive. In a polarized climate, the investigations risk becoming a proxy battle over who controls South Korea’s political narrative. Yet they also signal that high level corruption probes can unfold irrespective of party allegiance, a reminder that the rule of law must stand above faction.

Highlights

The coming weeks will test the resilience of legal processes amid a charged political landscape.