In South Korea, the First Lady is at the heart of a political scandal. Kim Keon-hee is suspected of fraud and stock market manipulation. The opposition majority in the Assembly voted in favor of launching a special independent investigation against him. The president has already announced that he wants to use his veto to stop the investigation.
1 min
With our correspondent in Seoul, Celio Fioretti
This scandal shakes up the presidency of the Republic of Korea. If the procedure is not stopped by the head of state, it would be the first time that a South Korean first lady has been the subject of an independent special investigation. In South Korea, this type of investigation is requested by the National Assembly and carried out by prosecutors specializing in sensitive political affairs.
The president and his party denounce an attack by the opposition, a few months before the legislative elections in April 2024. The head of state, Yoon Suk-yeol, himself a former prosecutor, has already announced wanting to use his veto to stop the investigation. A controversial decision to say the least.
The president, who campaigned for presidential neutrality in political matters, is accused of wanting to protect his wife to the detriment of justice. According to a survey carried out by the newspaper Kookmin Ilbo70% of those questioned do not want the Head of State to use his veto in this matter.
This scandal is likely to further degrade the confidence of South Koreans in their institutions.
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