Seoul: The elder brother of former first lady Kim Keon Hee attended a court hearing Wednesday regarding the potential issuance of an arrest warrant for his alleged evasion of development fees associated with an apartment construction project from a decade ago. Kim Jin-woo appeared at the Seoul Central District Court following the filing of a warrant by special counsel Min Joong-ki's team. The charges include causing losses to state coffers, embezzlement, and destruction of evidence.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim and his mother, Choi Eun-soon, stand accused of document falsification related to the 350-unit apartment project in Yangpyeong, east of Seoul, which ran from 2011 to 2016. The alleged falsification aimed to underreport profits and reduce the development fees owed. The mother and son alternately led the development firm, ESI and D.

Further accusations against Kim include the concealment of various expensive items that his sister, the former first lady, allegedly received as bribes, hidden at the family's residence. The special counsel team has opted to investigate Choi without physical detention, considering her involvement level and her relationship to Kim.

Both Kim and Choi were questioned twice by the special counsel team earlier this month, during which they reportedly denied most allegations. The court is expected to determine whether to issue the arrest warrant later in the day.