JAKARTA - The South Korean prosecutor interrogated a Korean-American priest, who secretly recorded himself handing over a luxury handbag to First Lady Kim Keon Hee in September 2022.
The priest named Choi Jae-young appeared at the Seoul Central District Attorney's office in the morning to be questioned as a suspect on charges of violating anti-corruption laws and obstructing official duties, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors asked Choi about how and why he handed the luxury bag over to KimKeon Hee, and whether he asked the first lady for help.
The pastor's summons was made after a number of civil activists filed complaints.
They claimed Choi had deliberately approached the first lady and secretly recorded the delivery of a handbag worth three million won (around Rp35 million), which was allegedly prepared by the internet news channel Voice of Seoul.
Voice of Seoul, which was sued by the first lady for defamation, published a video recorded by Choi in November last year.
Choi said he contacted the first lady with the aim of reporting the news for the public interest.
The prosecutor's office interrogated the civilian activist last week. The plaintiffs argued that Choi appeared to have had a close conflict with the Voice of Seoul to defame President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife.
The conspiracy was allegedly carried out in retaliation for a defamation lawsuit filed by the first lady.
Separately, the Voice of Seoul has filed a complaint against Yoon and the first lady on suspicion of bribery and violations of the anti-corruption law.
Prosecutors are reportedly planning to summon the leadership of the Voice of Seoul, as the party that filed the allegations, in the near future.
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