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Key Points

South Korea's special counsel team raided the National Education Commission over bribery allegations involving its chairperson and former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Investigators discovered a golden turtle and letter suggesting the gift was exchanged for Lee Bae-yong's appointment as commission chief. The probe expanded to include allegations of an unauthorized private party aboard a Navy vessel during the presidential vacation. Meanwhile, Kim Keon Hee has lost her teaching license after her master's degree was canceled due to plagiarism.

Key Points: South Korea Special Counsel Raids Education Commission Over Kim Keon Hee Bribery

  • Special counsel raided NEC over gold gift bribery allegations involving former first lady
  • 10-don golden turtle discovered during raid on Kim's mother's residence
  • Lee Bae-yong offered resignation after special counsel searched her residence
  • Investigation also targets private party allegations aboard Navy vessel during vacation
2 min read

South Korea: Special counsel raids National Education Commission over alleged bribery

Special counsel raids National Education Commission over gold gift bribery allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee and NEC chair Lee Bae-yong's appointment.

"The team suspects the turtle was given as a gift to Kim in exchange for Lee's appointment - Special Counsel Investigation"

Seoul, Sep 4

A special counsel team said Friday it raided the presidential National Educational Commission (NEC) over bribery allegations involving its incumbent chief and South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Prosecutors and investigators from special counsel Min Joong-ki's team searched the commission in the morning to secure possible evidence on suspicions that NEC Chairperson Lee Bae-yong was appointed to the ministerial post after giving a gold gift to Kim, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The probe into Lee came after the special counsel team discovered a golden turtle weighing 10 don (37.5 grams) and a letter apparently written by Lee to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim, during a separate raid targeting Kim's mother.

The team suspects the turtle was given as a gift to Kim in exchange for Lee's appointment as the inaugural chief of the commission in September 2022. Lee offered to resign on Monday, days after the special counsel raided her residence.

The special counsel team said it also launched a raid on the Presidential Security Service in the morning to receive "necessary materials for a related investigation."

During a press briefing later in the day, it elaborated that the search was related to allegations that Kim and then PSS deputy chief Kim Seong-hoon organised a private party aboard a Navy vessel during Yoon and Kim's summer vacation in 2023.

Earlier on Thursday, education officials said that South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee has been stripped of her teaching license after a private university cancelled her master's degree earlier this year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) has recently revoked Kim's teaching certificate after completing the relevant procedures, such as a hearing, they said.

Kim, who is now detained at the Seoul Southern Detention Centre, did not attend the hearing or submit any statement of opinion, they added.

The SMOE has informed Kim, through the detention centre, to review the hearing results and transcripts. The revocation will be finalised if she does not appeal the results.

In June, Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul cancelled Kim's master's degree earned from its Graduate School of Education due to thesis plagiarism. She had obtained her teaching certificate based on her master's degree in education.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The golden turtle detail is so specific! 37.5 grams of gold isn't even that much for such a high position. Shows how normalized these practices must be there.
P
Priya S
First the degree cancellation, now bribery charges. This former first lady's downfall is quite dramatic. Hope justice is served properly.
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Michael C
While corruption needs to be addressed, I hope this investigation remains fair and doesn't become politically motivated. Due process matters in all democracies.
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Ananya R
The education commission involved in bribery? That's particularly disturbing. Education should be the last place for such practices. Hope they clean up the system.
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Vikram M
Private party on a Navy vessel during vacation? These leaders forget they're public servants, not royalty. Common problem in many countries unfortunately.

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