Police investigate bag-gifting pastor for defamation and election law violations

A Korean American pastor who gifted a luxury handbag to first lady Kim Keon Hee is under police investigation for allegedly defaming a lawmaker and conducting illegal electioneering ahead of the April 10 general election.

Choi Jae-young, second from left, the Korean American pastor who gifted a luxury handbag to first lady Kim Keon Hee, speaks to the press at the Gwacheon government complex as a civic group submitted a petition against President Yoon Suk Yeol, the first lady and Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Chairperson Yoo Cheol-hwan for alleged bribery and dereliction of duty on Monday. [YONHAP]

A Korean American pastor who gifted a luxury handbag to first lady Kim Keon Hee is under police investigation for allegedly defaming a lawmaker and conducting illegal electioneering ahead of the April 10 general election.

According to Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police on Monday, the pastor, Choi Jae-young, is being investigated for defamation and election law violations. Conservative People Power Party Rep. Lee Chul-gyu filed a complaint, alleging that Choi defamed him by mentioning his name along with the first lady's during a lecture in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, in March.

The police are also investigating Choi for allegedly supporting a liberal Democratic Party lawmaker during a lecture in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, in February, ahead of the April 10 general election. The Public Official Election Act prohibits pastors and other religious professionals from using their status to influence election campaigns.

The police said that further details of the investigation cannot be disclosed.

Choi participated in a press conference at the Gwacheon government complex on Monday, where a civic group submitted a petition against President Yoon Suk Yeol, the first lady and Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) Chairperson Yoo Cheol-hwan, to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, accusing them of bribery and dereliction of duty.

Last week, the ACRC closed the case on Kim's luxury handbag scandal, citing no legal violations. A civic group had reported Yoon, Kim and Choi to the commission on Dec. 19 last year, filing a report that the first lady received goods prohibited under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

"The decision was made to close the case because there are no regulations against the spouses of public officials under the act regarding the president's spouse," said Chung Seung-yun, vice chairperson of the commission, in a briefing on June 10.

Choi is accused of gifting a Christian Dior handbag valued at around 3 million won ($2,240) to the first lady and secretly filming the exchange with a hidden camera in September 2022, after Yoon was inaugurated in May that year. The scandal was first reported on Nov. 19 by the liberal YouTube news channel, Voice of Seoul, which led to allegations that Kim's receiving of the bag may have violated antigraft laws.

Choi claimed he recorded the exchange to expose the “true character” of Yoon and his wife when he appeared before prosecutors for questioning over suspicions of graft, trespassing and obstruction of official duties on May 13.

Choi was summoned by prosecutors for questioning after civic activists filed complaints accusing him of intentionally approaching the first lady with the handbag prepared by Voice of Seoul, which had previously been sued by the first lady for defamation.

Civic groups also reported Choi to police in February for trespassing and violating national security law by secretly filming a video in Kim’s office. Additionally, he is accused of violating the Act on the Punishment of the Crime of Stalking for circulating the video.

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