Former South Korean First Lady Admits Receiving Chanel Bags as Gifts

The former First Lady of South Korea, Kim Gon Hee, has admitted to receiving two Chanel bags as a gift from a shaman named Jung Sunbae. She denied that the items were obtained in exchange for services related to the Collective Church, as reported by Kazinform citing Yonhap. Kim, currently under arrest on corruption and bribery charges, stated that she initially rejected the gifts but eventually accepted them due to pressure from Jung.

Kim’s lawyers emphasized that she was aware of her mistake and expressed regret for her actions. They noted that the gifts were not used and were returned in full. The lawyer’s statement clarified that Kim was not involved in any alleged requests for favors from the church, which were not passed on to her.

The case involves the wife of the deposed President, Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for helping the Collective Church gain business benefits after his election in March 2022. According to the ad hoc prosecution team, Jung supplied the goods to Kim at the request of a former church official named Yun, between April and July of this year.

The Chanel bags cost 8 million and 12 million won each, while the alleged Graff necklace was valued at 62 million won. Kim admitted to receiving the bags but denied any connection to the church. Her lawyers stated that she was painfully aware of her mistake and that the gifts were returned in full.

Kim’s admission came after Jung refused to testify in court, claiming that he had given gifts from the church servant to the then assistant president. This admission follows her arrest in August on corruption charges, where she was suspected of engaging in inappropriate behavior. The case continues to unfold as authorities investigate further.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Russian)