Search Warrant: Watch Box and Warranty Found
The Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecutor Team has confirmed that, following the discovery of the ‘NATO summit necklace,’ they also secured a luxury women's watch box and genuine warranty documents during a search of the home of an acquaintance of Kim Kun-hee. Although the watch itself was not found in the box, the Special Prosecutors recently summoned businessman A, who purchased the watch, for questioning.
According to KBS News on the 11th, A stated that around May to June 2022, shortly after former President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration, he personally met with Kim at the Kobana Contents office and was asked to provide a watch for overseas trips. He claimed to have bought a watch worth around 50 million won for about 30 million won and delivered it.
He insisted that it was only a proxy purchase and not a bribe, explaining that the watch was delivered shortly after the NATO summit in September.
Additionally, A stated that during the watch delivery process, he communicated through Yoo Kyung-ok, an official from the presidential office, and that he communicated with Kim's side using a 'restricted caller ID' (presumably a secure phone). However, he avoided answering whether he had received reimbursement for the purchase from Kim's side.
Contract with the Presidential Office Immediately After Watch Delivery
As a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that immediately after A handed the watch to Kim in late September 2022, he signed a 18 million won contract for ‘robot dog-related rentals’ with the presidential office in his company’s name. The contract period was three months, and the Special Prosecutors are focusing on the potential quid pro quo between the watch provision and the contract.
A sponsored former President Yoon with the maximum legal amount of 10 million won during the 20th presidential election and also attended the inauguration ceremony at the invitation of Kim.
He clarified that the contract was legitimate and claimed to have only incurred losses, asserting that his relationship with Kim had existed since Yoon's time as Prosecutor General. He further stated that he had no connections with Kim's mother or brother.
Special Prosecutors Expected to Emphasize Concealment Evidence
However, the controversial watch box and warranty were discovered at the home of Kim's brother-in-law. Kim has denied that the items found at this house belong to her.
The Special Prosecutors believe that Kim concealed luxury items such as watches and necklaces through her brother and plan to actively present this evidence and indications of evidence destruction during the substantive examination of Kim's arrest warrant scheduled for the 12th.
Kim Kun-hee Attends Arrest Warrant Substantive Examination Today
Meanwhile, Kim attended Seoul Central District Court this morning to undergo a substantive examination of the arrest warrant requested by the Special Prosecutors.
Kim arrived at the back entrance of the Central District Court at 9:26 AM, 44 minutes ahead of the scheduled examination at 10:10 AM, and headed into the building. Attorney Choi Ji-woo got out of the car with her, accompanied by attorneys Chae Myung-sung and Yoo Jeong-hwa.
The waiting reporters asked questions such as "What does it mean to be a person of no significance?" "Have you ever seen Kim Kun-hee's Excel file?" and "Why did you ask for a luxury watch?" but Kim remained silent.
The court's decision is expected to be made later in the afternoon, and if the warrant is issued, it would mark an unprecedented ‘simultaneous arrest of a former presidential couple’ in history.
Image source: Kim Kun-hee / News1, News1, KBS1
