Seoul: Special prosecutors investigating corruption allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee searched another special counsel team Tuesday to secure evidence related to alleged attempts to silence investigations Kim faced, officials said. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team sent investigators to carry out a court-issued warrant to seize documents from special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team investigating allegations related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the search-and-seizure took place as a procedural formality for Cho's team to share evidence. Min's team seeks to secure text records between Kim and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae from May last year through Telegram, in which Kim reportedly asked Park about progress in investigations she faced. Prosecutors at the time were investigating Kim on suspicion of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and receiving a luxury bag. Around the time of the messages, Yoon also held phone talks with Park multiple times.
Later that month, the justice ministry conducted a sweeping change of personnel at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office handling Kim's cases. A prosecution team later dropped charges against Kim in the stock manipulation and luxury handbag cases.