Wife of DP chief grilled for 2 hours over expensed meals in 2021

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, was questioned by prosecutors over allegations that she treated associates to meals using a Gyeonggi government corporate card.

Kim Hye-kyung, the wife of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, walks into Suwon District Prosceutors' Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, left the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in Gyeonggi after two hours of questioning on charges of violating election laws on Thursday.

Prosecutors previously sought a 3 million won ($2,200) fine for Kim for allegedly offering meals to the wives of party members ahead of the 2021 primary to elect its presidential candidate while Lee was governor of the province.

“We refused to give a statement because the prosecution has conducted an investigation with a conclusion already set in place,” Kim’s attorney said after the summons. “The questions were what we expected to be asked and it was a predictable investigation. I don’t think there will be any more summons.”

Kim is accused of providing meals worth 104,000 won to six people, including the wives of three former and current party lawmakers and three of her aides, at a Seoul restaurant on Aug. 2, 2021, paid for using the Gyeonggi provincial government’s corporate credit card.

Prosecutors indicted Kim on Feb. 14 without detention, following an appellate court’s decision to uphold the conviction of a public official involved in the case who was found guilty of misusing the corporate credit card for Kim’s expenses.

Last August, the Suwon High Court confirmed a lower court's sentence of 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for the public official surnamed Bae.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]