South Korea probes pastor over alleged stalking of Yoon's wife linked to handbag scandal
South Korea is investigating a pastor for allegedly stalking first lady Kim Keon-hee and gifting her a Dior handbag that later snowballed into a scandal and roiled President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration.
National Office of Investigation chief Woo Jong-soo said police completed a legal review of the case involving Korean-American Choi Jae-young who was accused of tailing Kim last year.
The audit also found the issue warranted a closer look and officers were analysing details of a video linked to the incident that Choi secretly filmed to prove Kim was corrupt, Woo said.
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The president's wife was not included in the probe as of now, Woo added.
Last November, the clip appeared on a YouTube channel that showed Kim reportedly receiving the bag worth about 3 million won (US$2,162) from the pastor in 2022.
The opposition Democratic Party (DP) has demanded an apology from Yoon and Kim over the video. It used the issue to galvanise voters in the run-up to last month's general election, in which Yoon's ruling People Power Party was routed.
South Korean law prohibits the spouse of a public official from receiving gifts worth more than 1 million won (US$720) in a single occasion, or items that exceed 3 million won in value over one year. Those who violate the anti-corruption law face a maximum sentence of three years in prison and 30 million won in fines.
The first lady also faces other allegations including tax evasion and stock-price manipulation.
A conservative civic group in January filed a police complaint against Choi, seeking to punish him for stalking Kim, Yonhap reported.
DP chief Lee Jae-myung met Yoon on Monday, urging him to allow special investigations into allegations involving his wife.
Separately, the Seoul High Court on Tuesday upheld a previous verdict in favour of a group that demanded Yoon's office disclose his entertainment and dining expenses from two years ago.
The Korea Taxpayers' Association sued the presidential office last year for refusing to reveal how much Yoon spent on movie screenings and eating out after media reports said he splurged 4.5 million won (US$3,242) on a dinner at a Seoul restaurant in May 2022.
The court directed the presidential office to disclose the receipts, saying doing so "would not threaten the core interests of the country".
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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