Opposition party criticizes ‘privileged treatment’ in questioning of first lady

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Monday slammed the prosecution for questioning first lady Kim Keon Hee at an unconventional location, calling it "privileged treatment." The criticism came two days after the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office questioned Kim in person at an undisclosed government building outside the prosecutor's office, in connection with a luxury handbag scandal and alleged involvement in stock price manipulation involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW car dealer in South Korea. "Is Kim the 'first lady' or the 'first president'?" DP Rep. Jung Chung-rae said during a Supreme Council meeting, pointing out that receiving an investigation at such a location is unprecedented even for former presidents. "Since when did prosecutors become call-out service providers, or have they turned into caterers now?" he said. Jung also called on Kim to attend an upcoming hearing in person over an online petition demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, for which she was summoned as one of the witnesses. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) defended the prosecution's decision as a measure in accordance with the Presidential Security Act. During an emergency committee meeting, PPP Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig stressed that the first lady is entitled to retain security protection under the act. "Given that there is no precedent for investigating a first lady during a president's term, conducting a disclosed investigation at a safe location was a reasonable measure," he said. The prosecution earlier cited "security and safety concerns" for conducting Kim's questioning at an off-site location. Kim's handbag scandal centers on allegations that she illegally received the luxury bag worth about 3 million won (US$2,175) and other expensive gifts from pastor Choi Jae-young in September 2022, allegedly in exchange for favors. Source: Yonhap News Agency