South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been cleared of charges related to her acceptance of a Dior handbag from a Korean-American pastor in 2022, the Yonhap news agency reports, citing legal officials.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has concluded that charges of violating the anti-graft law cannot be pursued against Kim. This decision comes after a four-month investigation by a special team set up at the request of the top prosecutor.
The investigation focused on allegations that Kim received the luxury handbag, valued at some $2,255, along with other expensive gifts from pastor Choi Jae-young. The team determined that the bag appeared to have no connection to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official duties.
The team reportedly considered the handbag a gift exchanged between individuals, acknowledging the circumstances surrounding its acceptance, including Choi’s requests for favors from Kim. These requests included a request to secure a national cemetery burial for former Korean-American U.S. House Rep. Jay Chang Joon Kim.
The SCDPO will officially report the decision to Prosecutor General Lee One-seok on Thursday.
