Seoul, August 13 (HS): In an unprecedented political and legal drama, South Korea’s former First Lady Kim Keon-hee has been arrested and taken into custody — marking the first time in the nation’s history that a former president and his spouse will be held behind bars at the same time.

The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim on Tuesday, citing the risk of evidence tampering. The decision followed a marathon hearing in which prosecutors presented an 848-page dossier outlining her alleged involvement in multiple scandals, including:

Manipulation of stock prices linked to imported car dealer Deutsch Motors,

Bribery charges, and

Undue political influence during the 2022 by-elections.

While Kim appeared in court earlier that day and firmly denied all allegations, the special counsel argued that granting her freedom could jeopardize the integrity of the investigation. Her defense team claimed that her deteriorating health made detention inappropriate — a plea that failed to sway the court.

By mid-afternoon, as soon as the hearing concluded, Kim left the courthouse without answering reporters’ questions. She was immediately taken into custody and transferred to Seoul Southern Detention Center in Guro-gu, western Seoul.

Her husband, former President Yoon Suk-yeol, is currently serving time at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, following his arrest late last year over the controversial declaration of martial law and the chaos that ensued.

With Kim Keon-hee’s detention, South Korea has entered uncharted political territory, as never before has a former head of state and their spouse been imprisoned simultaneously.

This high-profile case is expected to send shock waves through the country’s political and judicial landscape, with the special investigation unit continuing to probe charges of financial fraud, political corruption, and abuse of influence against the once-powerful couple.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar