[News Today] Search warrant in Kim’s necklace case

[LEAD]
The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee has raided Seohee Construction.

The team is currently focusing on a necklace purchased by the firm, which is allegedly linked to the necklace Kim Keon-hee wore during the 2022 NATO Summit trip.

[REPORT]
Around 7 a.m. Monday, the special counsel team investigating former First Lady Kim Keon-hee raided Seohee Construction in Seocho-dong, Seoul.

The raid came after records showed that someone from Seohee Construction bought the same 60 million-won necklace worn by Kim during the 2022 NATO summit, which led to allegations that it was omitted from her asset report.

The purchase was made shortly after the 2022 presidential election.

Suspecting that the construction company gifted the necklace to Kim, the team reportedly specified charges of bribery in the search warrant.

They are also checking whether or not former prosecutor Park Sung-geun, son-in-law of the firm's chairman Lee Bong-kwan, was appointed as the chief of staff for then Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in return for the gift.

The necklace in question was found last month at the home of a relative of Kim. It turned out to be fake and the special counsel has suspected it was swapped with the real one.

Regarding this, Kim told the team during questioning that it was a fake she had bought in Hong Kong as a gift for her mother.

The special counsel has requested a detention warrant for Kim on charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act and the Political Funds Act, excluding the allegations related to the necklace.

A court hearing will begin at 10:10 a.m. Tuesday to deliberate whether or not to issue the warrant.

The trial on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection case resumed Monday morning.

However, Yoon's side refused to show up to court for the fourth straight week, citing health issues.