Seoul: Police raided the state anti-corruption commission on Monday as part of a probe into the agency's controversial 2024 decision to drop a case involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee's acceptance of a luxury handbag. A special investigation team under the National Police Agency carried out a search and seizure at the offices of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in Sejong, 107 kilometers south of Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the investigation is looking into allegations of abuse of power by Ryu Chul-whan, former chairperson of the commission, and Chung Seung-yun, the commission's former deputy chairperson, over the controversial decision to close the case on Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The commission at the time terminated the case on Kim's acceptance of a Dior handbag from a pastor in 2022 without further investigation after concluding that there was no regulation for a presidential spouse to report gifts.

It launched a task force in March this year to look into the controversial decision, after a new chief took office following the ouster of former President Yoon over his failed martial law bid in December 2024, and the election of President Lee Jae Myung last year. The commission decided to refer the case to the police for further investigation in May.