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South Korean ex-first lady Kim Keon-hee arrested amid bribery probe

South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested late on Tuesday after a court issued a warrant following accusations of corruption that she denies, a special prosecutor leading a wide-reaching probe said.

In granting a special prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant near midnight, the Seoul Central District Court said Kim posed a risk of destroying evidence.

The investigation into Kim is one of three special prosecutor probes launched under Seoul’s new liberal government targeting the presidency of Yoon, a conservative who was removed from office in April and rearrested last month over his brief imposition of martial law in December.

While Yoon’s self-inflicted downfall extended a decades-long run of South Korean presidencies ending badly, he and Kim are the first presidential couple to be simultaneously arrested over criminal allegations.

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive at a polling station in Seoul to cast their ballots in the presidential election in June. Photo: dpa

Yoon’s surprising yet poorly planned power grab on December 3 came amid a seemingly routine stand-off with the liberals, whom he described as “anti-state” forces abusing their legislative majority to block his agenda.

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