Nearly three months after her dramatic departure from the presidential residence, South Korea’s former First Lady Kim Keon-hee is now at the center of a growing corruption scandal that threatens to further destabilize the country’s political landscape. Hundreds of lawyers, under the direction of special prosecutors, are preparing to investigate a sweeping set of allegations against Kim — from stock manipulation to academic fraud and abuse of power.
Kim, 52, once portrayed as the glamorous partner of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, is now facing intense scrutiny just as her husband stands trial for insurrection following his failed attempt to impose martial law last December. Yoon was impeached and formally removed from office in April, and is accused of orchestrating a last-ditch constitutional crisis to cling to power.
President Lee Jae-myung, Yoon’s political rival and successor, has wasted no time in turning the machinery of state accountability on the former first couple. Prosecutors appointed by Lee’s administration are expected to begin examining at least 16 serious allegations against Kim this week. These include claims of manipulating share prices using proxy bank accounts, influencing political nominations, and receiving luxury gifts including a Chanel handbag and a £1,600 Christian Dior purse caught on camera in 2022.
Once likened to figures as disparate as Lady Macbeth, Marie Antoinette, and even Michael Jackson due to her extensive cosmetic surgeries, Kim’s rise and fall has captivated — and divided — South Korean public opinion. While she once brought a modern, high-profile flair to the presidency, her perceived arrogance and detachment from ordinary citizens has increasingly alienated her from a society still deeply shaped by conservative gender norms.
Her business empire, Covana Contents, made her a multimillionaire well before her husband entered politics, and her influence reportedly extended into presidential decisions. Critics say her unchecked ambition contributed to Yoon’s downfall — from policy gaffes to alleged superstitions, including reports that she encouraged him to consult a so-called “anal acupuncturist” and write mystic symbols on his hand before public debates.
The case against Kim gained momentum last week when Sookmyung Women’s University officially revoked her 1999 master’s degree after confirming extensive plagiarism in her thesis. Kookmin University is now considering a similar decision regarding her 2008 PhD, which was written on the topic of Korean fortune tellers — a subject that has only fueled speculation about her interest in the occult.
Adding to the controversy are inflammatory statements she made in past recordings. In one leaked conversation, Kim appeared to condone sexual misconduct coverups, claiming that liberal politicians were more frequently caught in scandals because they failed to “pay off” their victims. She also reportedly told presidential security staff they should have shot the police officers who came to arrest her husband on insurrection charges.
While previous efforts to implicate Kim in financial crimes have fallen short — courts previously ruled she lacked knowledge of stock manipulation conducted via her accounts — recent reports indicate prosecutors have obtained incriminating audio evidence linking her directly to the transactions.
Kim was briefly hospitalized earlier this month for what her representatives described as panic attacks and depression. She was released last Friday in a wheelchair, escorted by her embattled husband.
Observers say the intensifying legal pressure on Kim could have wide-reaching consequences, not just for her personal future, but for the conservative opposition as a whole, which remains in disarray following Yoon’s downfall. Meanwhile, public frustration continues to mount in a country grappling with political disillusionment and a deepening distrust of elites.
“Kim Keon-hee may have been a powerful figure behind the scenes,” one Seoul-based analyst said. “But now she’s at the center of the storm — and this time, she may not be able to charm her way out.”
