Shaman’s office searched over alleged gifts for Kim Keon Hee

A special counsel team conducts a search and seizure of shaman Jeon Seong-bae's office in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Special counsel expands investigation into ex-first lady’s corruption ties with shaman

A special counsel team looking into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee carried out a search and seizure operation on Tuesday at the office of Jeon Seong-bae, a shaman also known as Geon Jin, as part of an investigation into suspected corruption ties.

The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki reportedly dispatched prosecutors and investigators to the office in Gangnam, southern Seoul, to secure documents, digital data and other evidence related to Jeon’s alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and connection to Kim.

Tuesday’s raid by the special counsel is also seen as a continuation of past efforts by the prosecution to look into an array corruption charges against Jeon, and luxury handbags linked to accusations of bribery against Kim.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office previously investigated the shaman and a high-ranking Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon. The latter claimed that he gave Jeon a diamond necklace, estimated to be worth 60 million won ($43,000), and Chanel handbags of unknown value as a gift for the former first lady after Yoon Suk Yeol won the 2022 presidential election.

The church official is suspected of lobbying the former presidential couple through Jeon in order to gain support for projects in the church’s interests, including business operations in Cambodia.

Two luxury handbags were reportedly delivered to Kim’s former aide, Yoo Kyung-ok, who tried to exchange the handbags for models that would better appeal to young people on Jeon's advice.

The first lady's attorneys have admitted that Yoo received the Chanel bags due to the shaman’s insistence. But they say that Kim never received them, denying the former first lady had any connection to the matter.

Jeon also testified in the prosecution’s investigation in May that the luxury bags that were handed over to Yoo were not delivered to Kim. But the shaman claimed he lost the bags after retrieving them from Yoo.

Jeon, who served in a lesser leadership role on Yoon’s campaign team during the 2022 presidential election and is believed to have been involved in decision-making, has also been accused of flaunting personal connections with the former presidential couple to influence business interests in the past.

The Unification Church official surnamed Yoon was such official. He sent Jeon a bundle of cash — amounting to 30 million won — under the pretext of a “prayer fee.”

Jeon was also accused of receiving 100 million won from a politician who ran for office during the local elections in 2018.

The special counsel is expected to look into the nature of the relationship between Jeon and the former first lady after analyzing the items collected in Tuesday’s search and seizure.