South Korea conducts historic raid on ex-president Yoon’s home amid corruption scandal

Yoon Suk-yeol’s home was raided amid influence peddling allegations involving his wife and close aides

South Korean prosecutors raided the home of former president Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee on Wednesday, in a major escalation of a corruption probe into alleged influence peddling and back room deals linked to the former first couple.

This marks the first time prosecutors have conducted a court-approved raid against the former presidential couple. The investigation is separate from the ongoing criminal probe into Yoon’s controversial December 3 martial law decree that led to his impeachment.

“We have begun executing a search and seizure warrant at the former president’s residence” concerning allegations of influence peddling involving an intermediary named Jeon Seong-bae, the Seoul Nambu District Prosecutors’ Office said.

While Yoon was in office, critics accused prosecutors of hesitating to pursue cases involving the presidential couple, particularly given Yoon’s former position as their boss.

“It shows prosecutors are now deadly serious,” Choi Jin, head of the Institute for Presidential Leadership, told This Week in Asia.

“In my memory, this is the first time a former president’s private home has been searched in this manner,” he said.

Jeon, known by his alias Monk Kujin, has emerged as a central figure in the scandal.

He is accused of acting as a fixer in multiple influence-peddling cases involving the former first couple.

The 65-year-old drew public attention after reportedly telling investigators that he had “lost” a 60 million won (US$45,000) Graff diamond necklace intended as a gift for Kim Keon-hee. It is unclear how and when he lost the piece of jewellery.

The necklace was allegedly provided by a former Unification Church official seeking government support for overseas development projects.

Jeon is also said to have received a luxury handbag from the same church official, which was similarly intended for Kim, though it remains unclear if she ever received it.

Further fuelling controversy, prosecutors discovered 50 million won in freshly minted banknotes at Jeon’s residence.

Such bundles of banknotes, still bearing unbroken Bank of Korea seals, are typically distributed only to high-level government institutions such as the presidential office, raising suspicions about their source.

During the presidential election, Jeon reportedly helped operate and fund unofficial campaign offices for Yoon.

He also served as an adviser at Covana Contents, an exhibition company run by Kim Keon-hee.

Prosecutors suspect Jeon, a well-known fortune-teller with close ties to the allegedly superstitious couple, used those connections to earn large sums by arranging access to high-profile figures including the Yoons and senior members of Yoon’s ruling party.

In January, Jeon was indicted for violating political fundraising laws.

Additionally, prosecutors have reopened a stock manipulation case against Kim Keon-hee and are investigating allegations of neglect at an elder care facility operated by Yoon’s mother-in-law, Choi Eun-soon, where elderly residents were reportedly served poor-quality food.

Disturbing footage aired on Tuesday by MBC-TV’s evening news showed poor conditions at a long-term care facility in Namyangju City, near Seoul.

Elderly residents received spoiled fruit and watery soup, with barely any solid food, despite paying 375,000 won (US$263) monthly for meals.

The facility, promoted as a luxury senior residence, is operated by Choi and Yoon’s brother-in-law.

Choi, in her late 70s, was sentenced to a year in prison in 2023 for forging documents to receive millions in bank loans.

“We are investigating reports of abuse at the facility in collaboration with Namyangju City,” an official with the North Gyeonggi agency for elderly protection, who asked not to be named, told This Week in Asia.

MBC reported that juice was diluted and snacks were limited to a few bananas and a watered-down yogurt drink.

“The meat was given in such tiny pieces you had to fish for it in the broth. The sausages were so cheap … I wouldn’t even feed them to my dog,” an anonymous whistle-blower said in a YouTube interview earlier this month.

In one tragic case last December, an 80-year-old resident who suffered from diarrhoea and bloody stools went untreated for nearly three weeks.

He died after finally being taken to a hospital. Sources say his transfer was delayed to avoid reductions in government subsidies, which are halved when residents are hospitalised.

Investigators are also examining claims that some residents were restrained to their beds for prolonged periods without the necessary legal documentation.