[News Today] OUTSIDE REVIEW ON FIRST LADY CASE

[LEAD]
The Prosecution Investigation Review Committee met this afternoon to address the 'luxury handbag bribery allegation.' The prosecution team previously found no evidence of wrongdoing and reported to the Prosecutor General. The views of 15 diverse experts are now awaited with keen interest.

[REPORT]
The prosecution's investigation review committee is being held today to probe the allegation that first lady Kim Keon-hee had received a luxury handbag as a bribe.

The committee meets two weeks after the Prosecutor General decided to refer the case over to the review committee.

Earlier, in mid-August, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office had dropped the charges against the first lady.

Lee One-seok/ Prosecutor General (Aug. 26)
Since controversies persist and energy wasted, it's better to conclude the case fairly with outside opinion.

Starting at 2:00 p.m. at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the panel consisting of fifteen outside experts looked at six charges against the first lady, which includes violations of the improper solicitation and attorney acts and other anti-graft laws.

Key issue is whether the first lady receiving the bag had links to the president's duties. This was the biggest question in the earlier prosecutors' investigation as well.

Another key point is what pastor Choi Jae-young had in mind when he gave her the bag.

The prosecution believes that the high-end bag was the means for the pastor to meet the first lady, but the pastor insists that the gift was to ask for a favor.

Choi Jae-young/ Pastor (Sept. 5)
I asked to meet at an event for American civilian delegation and appoint ex-Congressman Kim Chang-joon to an advisor post.

The investigation review committee's recommendations are expected to be issued late tonight.

However, the prosecution is not obligated to follow the committee's recommendations.

Meanwhile, the prosecution-civilian committee under the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office is to meet on September 9th to determine whether an investigation review committee demanded by Pastor Choi will be convened.