South Korea's ex-first lady refuses to testify again ahead of indictment

Seoul, Aug 28 (IANS) South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee refused to testify again during a fifth round of questioning over corruption allegations on Thursday, a special counsel team said, ahead of her indictment later this week.

Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was brought to special counsel Min Joong-ki's office in central Seoul earlier in the day from a detention centre where she has been held since August 13, Yonhap News Agency reported.

She was interrogated in the morning about her alleged involvement in manipulating the stock prices of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, from 2009 to 2012.

The questioning paused for lunch before resuming in the afternoon, and Kim exercised her right to remain silent as during previous sessions, assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee said during a press briefing.

The former first lady faces allegations of being involved in stock manipulation schemes, meddling in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and 2024 general elections, and receiving luxury gifts from the Unification Church through a shaman in exchange for business favours.

The special counsel team has said it plans to indict her with physical detention on Friday, two days before her pretrial arrest expires.

Also Friday, the team plans to indict with physical detention Kim Ye-seong, known as the "butler" of the former first lady's family, on charges of embezzling 3.38 billion won (USD 2.44 million) from IMS Mobility, a company he helped establish.

Earlier on Tuesday, a special counsel team investigating corruption allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee said it plans to indict her with physical detention on August 29.

Assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee announced the date during a press briefing on Tuesday, confirming earlier reports that the indictment could come as early as Friday, before Kim's pretrial arrest expires Sunday.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team obtained a warrant for her arrest on August 12 on charges of violating the Capital Market Act, the Political Funds Act and a law on the acceptance of bribes for mediation.

On whether the same charges will be listed on her indictment, a team official said the question is "under review."

"We will explain at the time of indictment," the official said.

--IANS

int/akl/sd