South Korea's ex-first woman arrested in bribery probe

[ad_1] The spouse of South Korea's jailed former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested over a raft of prices, together with inventory manipulation and bribery.

Former first woman Kim Keon Hee denied all prices throughout a four-hour courtroom listening to in Seoul on Tuesday. However the courtroom issued a detention warrant, citing the chance that she could destroy proof.

South Korea has a historical past of former presidents being indicted and imprisoned. Nevertheless, that is the primary time each the previous president and former first woman have been jailed.

Yoon was detained in January to face trial over a failed martial legislation bid final 12 months that plunged the nation into chaos and finally led to his ouster.

Prosecutors say Kim, 52, revamped 800 million received ($577,940; £428,000) by collaborating in a price-rigging scheme involving the shares of Deutsch Motors, a BMW vendor in South Korea.

Whereas this allegedly occurred earlier than her husband was elected the nation's chief, it continued to forged a shadow all through his presidency.

"I sincerely apologise for inflicting bother regardless of being an individual of no significance," Kim informed reporters.

She allegedly additionally accepted two Chanel baggage and a diamond necklace as bribes from the controversial Unification Church in change for enterprise favours.

Amongst different prices, Kim can be accused of meddling in candidate nominations in the course of the parliamentary by-elections in 2022 and the overall elections final 12 months.