Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee is under scrutiny following revelations that she used a secure presidential phone line to speak with a top aide just weeks before being questioned in a major stock price manipulation and bribery probe.
The calls represent a significant development in the ongoing investigation led by independent counsel Min Joong-ki into Kim Keon Hee’s potential involvement in state affairs and possible preferential treatment by prosecutors as Korean media reported.
This comes after confirmation on Monday (16 June) that Kim Joo-hyun also used a secure line to speak with Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung last October — around the time prosecutors dropped charges against the first lady in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case.
Opposition lawmakers argue the calls may have been part of an effort to coordinate a response to the investigation.
“The use of a secure phone by Kim Keon Hee supports suspicions that she was involved in managing state affairs,” said Kim Hyun-jung, spokesperson for the Democratic Party. “Kim Joo-hyun, in his role as senior civil affairs secretary, appears to have acted as a legal proxy for both President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee to suppress investigations.”
Following confirmation of the secure calls between Shim and Kim Joo-hyun, the special counsel team’s probe may extend to the prosecution.
Shim has denied discussing any criminal cases with Kim Joo-hyun, saying on Monday, “There was no call related to a prosecutorial case.”
Ex-First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been hospitalized at Asan Medical Center in Seoul for severe depression, according to sources in the legal and medical communities. Her health condition was reported to not be critical.
Independent counsel Min Joong-ki said he learned of her hospitalization through media reports and would determine next steps after appointing deputy prosecutors.
South Korea and Japan have agreed to deepen their cooperation with the United States in addressing regional security challenges, including North Korea, during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, according to local media reports.
South Korea’s new president Lee Jae-myung will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the G7 summit in Canada, marking his first major diplomatic engagement.
On June 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Kang Kymgu, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea. Following the formal presentation of credentials, President Aliyev held a meeting with Ambassador Kymgu.
South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and Vietnam’s Luong Cuong agreed during a phone call on Thursday to deepen ties with joint high-speed rail and nuclear-energy projects.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin as his “dearest friend” and vowed to deepen Pyongyang-Moscow ties, pledging that the DPRK will “always stand with Russia,” in a Russia Day message reported by state media on 12 June.
President Ilham Aliyev and Bulgarian National Assembly President Natalia Kiselova reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria during a meeting in Baku on June 18, highlighting strong political and energy ties.
Germany’s foreign minister called on Iran’s leadership to urgently provide credible assurances it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and to return to negotiations, amid growing fears of military escalation with Israel.
Berlin is preparing a new bill to accelerate arms purchases and prioritize domestic weapons production, aiming to respond swiftly to growing security threats triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Iran warned on Wednesday that it would respond firmly to any direct U.S. involvement in Israel’s military campaign, as tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv escalated sharply.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender, warning that any American military action would bring severe consequences.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has cancelled certain flights scheduled for 13th and 14th June amid recent escalation of situation in the Middle East and the closure of airspace in several countries for security reasons.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A new rail agreement between Pasifik Eurasia and a China Railway subsidiary is set to strengthen the Middle Corridor trade route, offering a faster and cheaper alternative to shipments via Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump will extend the deadline for TikTok's U.S. divestment for a third time, giving 90 more days to finalize a sale, the White House confirmed.
The French city of Lyon has introduced new restrictions on car traffic in its historic centre as part of a broader plan to reduce air pollution and prioritize sustainable urban living.
Azerbaijan took part in the fourth meeting of heads of ministries and agencies responsible for ICT development among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, held in Karamay, China.
Germany’s foreign minister called on Iran’s leadership to urgently provide credible assurances it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and to return to negotiations, amid growing fears of military escalation with Israel.
President Ilham Aliyev and Bulgarian National Assembly President Natalia Kiselova reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria during a meeting in Baku on June 18, highlighting strong political and energy ties.
Germany’s foreign minister called on Iran’s leadership to urgently provide credible assurances it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and to return to negotiations, amid growing fears of military escalation with Israel.
Berlin is preparing a new bill to accelerate arms purchases and prioritize domestic weapons production, aiming to respond swiftly to growing security threats triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Iran warned on Wednesday that it would respond firmly to any direct U.S. involvement in Israel’s military campaign, as tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv escalated sharply.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender, warning that any American military action would bring severe consequences.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment