Death of South Korean official involved in investigation into First Lady sparks cover-up allegations

Local news reports said Kim expressed dismay at being forced to act against his conscience at work and accused his supervisor of a conflict of interest.

On Tuesday, Chung Seung-yoon, Kim's boss and one of the ACRC's three vice-chairs, offered his resignation. Chung is said to have pressured Kim to drop a corruption investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who was accused of accepting a Dior handbag as a gift in 2022.

After investigating the First Lady's case for six months, the ACRC closed the investigation in June without referring it to the public prosecutor for possible charges.

02:23

South Korean President apologizes for his wife's Dior handbag scandal and promises to improve living conditions

South Korean President apologizes for his wife's Dior handbag scandal and promises to improve living conditions

The ACRC justified the decision by citing the absence of a clause in the anti-corruption law that would penalise the spouses of civil servants, which led to a strong reaction from opposition parties.

The ACRC stressed that its decision was free from political influence. Its 15 commissioners had carefully examined the matter and Chung had no reason to put pressure on Kim over the investigation.

However, critics claim that Kim was responsible for drafting the reports submitted to the commission members and Chung is suspected of having instructed him to design the documents in such a way that the case could be dropped – Chung denies these allegations.

Lee Jun-han, a political science professor at Incheon National University, said Kim's death raised “serious questions about the supposed neutrality” of the anti-corruption agency and its investigations.

“This case, along with other alleged attempts to obstruct the investigation of scandals, gives the opposition more reasons to criticise President Yoon,” he told This Week in Asia.

The case comes as the South Korean military remains under scrutiny over last year's flood rescue operation that left a corporal dead. An army colonel investigating the death faces a court-martial for disobeying a superior officer's orders.

In the methamphetamine smuggling case, a senior South Korean police official claimed he was transferred to a remote post after being pressured to cover up the suspected involvement of customs authorities at Incheon International Airport.

A total of 74 kg of methamphetamine worth 200 billion won were smuggled into the country. 26 suspects from South Korea, Malaysia and China were involved.

The Korean Customs Service issued a statement last week denying any involvement of its officers in the smuggling operation.

03:01

South Korean President Yoon defends his wife in Dior bag scandal

South Korean President Yoon defends his wife in Dior bag scandal

Korea's largest opposition party, the Democratic Party, announced on Monday that it would take Kim's death into account in a bill calling for a special investigation into the first lady in connection with the handbag scandal and alleged stock market manipulation.

In an editorial on Tuesday, the Kyunghyang daily said: “There should not be more deaths among civil servants who, despite pressure from those in power, strive to uncover the truth behind publicly suspected scandals.”

The conservative daily Dong-A wrote last Friday that the impact of the ACRC case was difficult to predict. “How will the president, his wife and the other parties involved deal with the consequences of this incident?”

Jhee Byong-keun, a political science professor at Chosun University, said Kim's death had heightened concerns about an erosion of democracy under Yoon's government.

“Sensitivity to public opinion is a cornerstone of democracy, but President Yoon has been criticized for allegedly ignoring inconvenient voices,” he added.

Choi Jin, head of the Institute for Presidential Leadership, said the controversy over the scandals overshadowed other serious problems facing South Korea, such as economic challenges and threats from the North.

“Working with political opponents is the only way for Yoon to get out of this political impasse, but he is unlikely to seek cooperation with the opposition parties that control parliament,” he told This Week in Asia.