The Min Joong-ki Special Prosecutor's Team, which is investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee, is expected to indict major detained suspects, including People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, this week.
According to legal circles on the 29th, the Special Prosecutor's Team is likely to bring Rep. Kwon, former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min, and businessman Kim, who was involved in the nomination lobbying of the 'Geonjin Buddhist Monk' Jeon Seong-bae, to trial this week.
The legal maximum detention period (20 days) for these individuals, who were arrested mid-month, will expire during the Chuseok holiday, between October 4th and 7th. The Special Prosecutor's stance is to hand the cases over to trial before the holiday begins.
Considering this, it is highly likely that Rep. Kwon and others will be indicted before October 3rd, when the holiday starts. Rep. Kwon is accused of violating the Political Funds Act by receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church in January 2022 in exchange for lobbying for support for the religious group from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
Former prosecutor Kim is suspected of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act by giving expensive paintings to First Lady Kim's side while lobbying for nomination in last year's general election. Businessman Kim is charged with violating the Political Funds Act and other statutes for allegedly giving cash to the Geonjin Buddhist Monk Jeon to lobby for the nomination of Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly member Park Chang-wook before the June 2022 local elections.
Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor's Team will summon Han Hak-ja, the organization's president who was detained on charges including violation of the Political Funds Act, to their office in the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu for questioning today. This is the second interrogation since her arrest on the 23rd.
Han Hak-ja is charged with violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly giving 100 million won in political funds to Rep. Kwon in January 2022, requesting support for the Unification Church from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. She is also charged with violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act for allegedly giving expensive necklaces and a Chanel bag to First Lady Kim through the Geonjin Buddhist Monk Jeon between April and July 2022, while lobbying for the religious group's interests.
She also faces charges of Embezzlement for allegedly purchasing the necklace and bag given to First Lady Kim with organizational funds, and Instructing Destruction of Evidence for allegedly instructing 'Mr. Yoon' to destroy evidence in October 2022 in preparation for a police investigation into her overseas gambling allegations.
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