Tuesday, May 26, 2026
HomeAsiaHow a diamond pendant brought down South Korea’s Kim Keon-hee

How a diamond pendant brought down South Korea’s Kim Keon-hee

A diamond pendant worth tens of thousands of dollars, once worn by former South Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee on an official trip, has become the unlikely catalyst for her fall from grace.
The luxury item, and its meticulously crafted fake, are now at the centre of a criminal case that saw Kim detained late on Tuesday pending trial, accused of deception, obstruction and a decade-long pattern of alleged wrongdoing.

Investigators say Kim lied about the pendant’s origin, staged a cover-up and stonewalled during questioning, triggering the court’s decision to have her thrown in jail.

For Kim, who faces prison life and a storm of criminal charges, that diamond pendant has become a symbol of her transformation from high society to low life.

Immediately after the Seoul Central District Court approved prosecutors’ request to remand her, the 52-year-old was taken to the Seoul Nambu Detention Centre.

South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon-hee arrives at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

“Her alleged deception regarding the disputed jewellery apparently played a key role in persuading the court to approve a pre-trial detention warrant,” Gang Moon-dae, a pro-democracy lawyer, told This Week in Asia.

Source link


Discover more from PressNewsAgency

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

- Advertisment -