Special Prosecutor's Team Investigates Allegations Against Kim Geon-hee

The special prosecutor's team led by Min Jung-ki, investigating allegations against Kim Geon-hee, the spouse of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, officially commenced operations on June 20, 2025, with the arrival of the first dispatched prosecutors. Legal experts suggest that if the team begins investigating the 'preferential treatment allegations regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway route change,' former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong may also be included in the inquiry.

On June 20, the special prosecutor's office reported that four out of five chief prosecutors requested from the Ministry of Justice on June 19 had arrived at their temporary office, with one unable to join due to personal reasons. Additionally, the team has requested the dispatch of 28 more prosecutors, including Nam Cheol-woo, head of the Criminal Division 3 at the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office.

The special prosecutor's team is expected to focus on various allegations, including the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, the Geun-jin Law Office solicitation allegations, and the political broker Myung Tae-kyun's involvement in nominations, as well as the suspicions surrounding Kim Geon-hee and her family's involvement in the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway route change and the Yangpyeong Gongheung District development preferential treatment.

On June 19, the special prosecutor met with Kim Jun-young, the head of the Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency, to discuss the transfer of investigation records related to two cases in Yangpyeong. The 'preferential treatment allegations regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway route change' suggest that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport altered the highway construction plan to benefit Kim Geon-hee's family, who own land in the area. In 2023, the Democratic Party filed a complaint against former Minister Won for abuse of power, and the special prosecutor's team is expected to verify whether he was involved in the route change. Although Kim Geon-hee's brother and Yangpyeong officials have been indicted in connection with the 'Yangpyeong Gongheung District development preferential treatment allegations,' there have been criticisms regarding the thoroughness of the investigation.