South Korea orders wife of ex-president arrested

Kim Keon Hee poses a risk of destroying evidence in bribery inquiry, court says.

- BY KIM TONG-HYUNG

KIM Keon Hee, the former first lady, arrives for a Seoul court hearing Tuesday.

A South Korean court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol as investigators seek to charge her over various suspected crimes, including bribery, stock manipulation and meddling in the selection of a candidate.

In granting a special prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant near midnight, the Seoul Central District Court said Kim Keon Hee poses a risk of destroying evidence.

The investigation into Kim is one of three special prosecutor inquiries launched under Seoul’s new liberal government targeting the presidency of Yoon, a conservative who was removed from office in April and rearrested last month over his brief imposition of martial law in December.

Although Yoon’s self-inflicted downfall extended a decades-long run of South Korean presidencies ending badly, he and Kim are the first presidential couple to be simultaneously arrested over criminal allegations.

Yoon’s surprising yet poorly planned power grab on Dec. 3 came amid a seemingly routine standoff with the liberals, whom he described as “anti-state” forces abusing their legislative majority to block his agenda.