A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for the wife of former President Yoon Seok-yul, who is currently serving a prison sentence, as investigators look to charge her with a range of crimes including corruption, stock manipulation and meddling in a candidate's election.
Granting the prosecutor's special request for a warrant around midnight, the Seoul Central District Court noted that Kim Geon-hee posed a risk of destroying evidence.
The investigation against Ms Kim is one of three special prosecutorial cases launched by Seoul's new liberal government over the presidency of Mr Yoon, a conservative who was ousted in April and rearrested last month for briefly imposing martial law in December.
While Mr. Yoon's downfall was his own fault and the latest in a long series of failed presidencies in South Korea, he and Ms. Kim became the first presidential pair to face criminal prosecution at the same time.
Yoon's astonishing but poorly orchestrated takeover on Dec. 3 came amid what appeared to be a routine standoff with liberals he has characterized as “anti-state” forces abusing their majority in the legislature to block his plans.
Some of his political opponents doubt that Yoon's actions were even partly motivated by the mounting allegations against his wife, which have damaged his approval ratings and provided political ammunition for his enemies.
Ms Kim did not speak to the media when she appeared at a Seoul court on Tuesday for an hours-long hearing on the warrant.
She will be held in a prison in southern Seoul, separate from the facility where Yoon is being held.
A team of investigators led by special prosecutor Min Joon-ki, appointed by new liberal President Lee Jae-myung in June, questioned Ms Kim for about seven hours last week before deciding to arrest her.
Ms Kim spoke briefly to reporters during questioning last week, offering vague apologies for causing public concern but also hinting that she intended to deny the charges against her, portraying herself as “an insignificant person”.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
