The outgoing Prosecutor General Lee One-seok has called for a review committee to examine the case involving First Lady Kim Keon Hee and her acceptance of a luxury handbag. Opposition political parties, along with Korean American pastor Choi Jae-young, who gifted the 3 million won ($2,255) handbag to the first lady, have protested the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office investigation results, which concluded that there were no violations of the anti-graft law. In other words, they found that accepting the bag had no direct connection to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official duties.

The review committee system, first adopted in 2018, has been used in similar cases before. When convened, the committee typically reviews whether an investigation should continue or whether to make an indictment, especially in politically sensitive matters. The 15 committee members are randomly selected from a pool of experts. This system is designed to assess whether prosecutorial powers have been used excessively. So far, r
eview committees have convened 15 times, and the prosecution has accepted the committee’s recommendations in 11 of those instances.

The prosecutor general, while affirming that the prosecutors’ office conducted a thorough investigation in terms of evidence evaluation and legal interpretation, emphasized the need for a review committee due to the high level of public interest. The luxury bag controversy, brought to light by a video recording from the pastor, has dominated the political landscape for much of the first half of this year and continued to be a key issue leading into the April general elections. Early opinion polls this year showed that around 70 percent of the public wanted a thorough explanation of the matter.

One notable aspect is that, in addition to the graft charges, the prosecutor-general has requested the committee to also investigate potential disputes related to influence peddling and violations of the Attorney-at-Law Act. This would significantly broaden the scope of the investigation
beyond the initial probe, which faced criticism for narrowly focusing on whether the Dior bag and other presents from the pastor two years ago were simply gifts or given in exchange for favors. The prosecutors had concluded that the bag was given “simply out of gratitude” and not in return for any favors. However, the investigation has been criticized for its limited judicial scope, as it primarily focused on determining whether the luxury bag was exchanged for favors.

The investigation faced procedural issues, as it called the first lady for questioning at a third location after receiving written questionnaires, all without the prior knowledge of the chief prosecutor.

The committee, expected to convene Sept. 6, should seize this opportunity to conduct a thorough legal examination of the luxury bag case. Their findings must fully address the public’s questions. In case the committee’s conclusions align with the prosecution’s investigation results, criticism regarding potential bias may persist. Without cred
ible answers, the possibility of a special counsel investigation, as advocated by the large opposition bloc in the National Assembly, cannot be ruled out. Additionally, regardless of the review committee’s outcome, the first lady would be wise to issue an apology that resonates with public sentiment.

The chief prosecutor has said that the review’s outcome is most likely to arrive before his tenure ends in several weeks. Undoubtedly, it was a difficult but necessary step for the chief prosecutor, who has emphasized the principle of investigations without bias. Now, it’s time for the prosecution to reassess how this investigation has been handled.

Source: Yonhap News Agency