A glittering piece of jewellery -- an 18-karat white gold Van Cleef & Arpels Snowflake Pendant set with brilliant-cut diamonds -- has become a symbol of the legal storm engulfing South Korea’s former first lady, Kim Keon-hee.
On Tuesday night, the Seoul Central District Court authorised her arrest at the request of special prosecutors, citing “concerns about evidence destruction.” The 52-year-old wife of ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol is now in custody at the Nambu Detention Centre, facing multiple charges of bribery, stock manipulation, and unlawful political influence.
While the case spans years of alleged misconduct, one of the most high-profile accusations centres on the diamond pendant she wore to a NATO summit in 2022. Prosecutors allege it was worth over 60 million won ($43,000) and was a gift from a domestic construction company seeking political favours.
According to investigators, the company’s chairman allegedly purchased the pendant and had a vested interest in securing the appointment of his son-in-law as chief of staff to then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo — a position granted shortly before the summit. The pendant was never declared in the couple’s legally required financial disclosures.
Kim has denied any wrongdoing, telling prosecutors the necklace was “a fake bought 20 years ago in Hong Kong.” Prosecutors, however, maintain that it is genuine.
The pendant is just one element of a broader bribery case. Kim is also accused of receiving Chanel handbags worth 20 million won and another diamond necklace from members of the Unification Church, allegedly facilitated by a shaman intermediary and linked to business interests in Cambodia.
Her arrest follows months of investigation launched after liberal President Lee Jae-yung took office in June. These probes extend to her alleged involvement in stock price manipulation tied to Deutsch Motors between 2009 and 2012, and to claims she influenced party nominations in a 2022 legislative by-election at the request of political broker Myung Tae-kyun.
Kim, arriving at court in a black suit, bowed to reporters but stayed silent. Inside, a four-hour hearing saw prosecutors argue she might tamper with documents or witnesses. Judge Jeong Jae-wook agreed, citing the “potential for evidence tampering” as grounds for detention.
After a previous seven-hour interrogation, Kim had told journalists: “I apologise for causing public concern… I see myself as someone insignificant.” She also expressed frustration in court, saying she was “upset that even issues from before my marriage keep being brought up.”
Her husband, Yoon Suk-yeol, was impeached in April and is serving time at Seoul Detention Centre on charges of insurrection and abuse of power over his failed martial law declaration in December 2024. The simultaneous imprisonment of a former president and first lady is unprecedented in South Korea’s history.
Under South Korean law, prosecutors can hold Kim for up to 20 days before pressing charges. If convicted, the former first lady could face years in prison, and the pendant that once sparkled at an international summit may become the most infamous accessory in the country’s political history.
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