[Exclusive] Prosecutors to decide on First Lady's stock manipulation suspicions

[Anchor]

First Lady Kim Keon-hee has stated that she directly traded shares of Deutsche Motors. The timing is after May 2010 during which she claims to have suffered losses after entrusting her stock account to Mr. Lee, a main player in the first stock price manipulation.

However, it is reported that the prosecution has confirmed circumstances indicating that Kim continued to contact Lee even after that.

Next, we have an exclusive report from reporter Kim Young-hoon.

[Report]

On October 20, 2010, Mr. Lee, who played the so-called 'main player' role in the first stock price manipulation of Deutsche Motors.

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that during the presidential candidate period, First Lady Kim entrusted her Shinhan Securities account to Mr. Lee at the introduction of former Chairman Kwon Oh-soo, but incurred losses and subsequently severed ties.

[Yoon Suk-yeol/Former Candidate for the People Power Party Presidential Primary/October 15, 2021: "I entrusted it for about four months, and there were losses. My wife decided it wasn't working out, withdrew the money, and cut off relations with that person."]

However, the prosecution has secured testimony that Lee introduced First Lady Kim to a person called A from the securities industry, and that she moved her account to Dongbu Securities after hearing from A that "he would manage the stocks well."

Person A also suggested selling the Deutsche Motors shares, saying that Chairman Kwon was not very good as a businessman, and it is reported that Lee, the 'main player,' called First Lady Kim to say he would sell the stocks for her.

After speaking with Lee, the First Lady moved her account from Dongbu Securities to Daishin Securities again after a month on June 25, 2010.

This can be seen as evidence that she was in contact with the main player Lee even after withdrawing money from her Shinhan Securities account in May 2010.

However, this period is before October 20, 2010, of which is when the court determined that the statute of limitations had expired.

The First Lady has claimed that she traded Deutsche Motors shares directly after May 2010, but the prosecution believes there is insufficient evidence and testimony to support that she was aware of the stock price manipulation.

It is reported that the prosecution will decide on the direction of First Lady Kim's case as early as this week.

KBS News, Kim Young-hoon.