Prosecutors question online media chief about handbag allegations

Prosecutors on Monday summoned the head of the online news outlet Voice of Seoul as part of their investigation into allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee illegally accepted a luxury handbag.

Baek Eun-jong, chief of Voice of Seoul, speaks to reporters at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on Monday. [YONHAP]

Prosecutors on Monday summoned the head of the online news outlet Voice of Seoul as part of their investigation into allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee illegally accepted a luxury handbag.

Baek Eun-jong, the head of the outlet, filed a complaint against President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady over the allegation in December last year.

The controversy surrounding the first lady has escalated since the left-leaning YouTube channel released a video of Kim receiving a $2,200 light blue calfskin Lady Dior pouch from a Korean American pastor named Choi Jae-young, who recorded their meeting with a wristwatch camera.

“I will testify about the process of how Choi bribed Kim,” Baek told reporters before his questioning at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul on Monday.

The questioning on Monday is believed to have centered on the outlet’s motivation behind reporting the handbag scandal and Baek’s accusation.

Baek submitted to the prosecution the original 30-minute video showing the handbag exchange and part of a conversation between Choi and Kim on KakaoTalk.

He said the submitted evidence would prove Kim received the bag concerning "official duties." The law stipulates that officials' spouses may not accept money or goods “in connection with duties."

The head of Voice of Seoul added that he only submitted a part of the text messages sent between Choi and Kim as he does not trust the investigating prosecutors due to the recent personnel shake-up at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

Lee Chang-soo was appointed the new chief of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office last Monday. He previously served as a spokesman for the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s tenure as prosecutor general.

Baek filed an additional complaint against Yoon and the first lady with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office before attending the questioning on Monday, claiming that Kim received more gifts from the pastor, including high-end cosmetics and perfume, and meddled in personnel shake-ups.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]