The prosecution should come up with a decision acceptable to the people in its investigation into stock manipulation allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon said Thursday.
Han’s remark came amid speculation that the prosecution could decide whether to indict the first lady by the end of this week in connection with allegations that she was involved in manipulating the stock prices of Deutsch Motors Inc., a BMW car dealer in South Korea, between 2009 and 2012.
The main opposition Democratic Party and other critics have said that the prosecution is likely to decide not to charge Kim as it did earlier this month in a separate investigation into Kim’s acceptance of a luxury handbag from a Korean American pastor in 2022.
“This is a personal opinion that is not an issue that I should comment on,” Han told reporters during a visit to Incheon, west of Seoul, when asked to comment on a remark by a senior PPP official that it could be difficult to reject a specia
l counsel probe of Kim if the prosecution decides not to charge her.
“I will just say that the prosecution should make a decision that the people can accept,” he said.
Last month, an appellate court found all nine individuals involved in the case, including Kwon Oh-soo, a former chairman of Deutsch Motors, guilty of manipulating the price of the firm’s shares between 2009 and 2012 through illegal means.
The main opposition Democratic Party has been pushing to pass a bill that calls for an independent probe into both cases, as well as her alleged interference with the ruling party’s candidate nominations ahead of the April 2024 general elections.
Source: Yonhap News Agency