[News Today] Detention warrant hearing for Kim Keon-hee

[LEAD]
A Seoul court held a detention warrant hearing today for former First Lady Kim Keon-hee over stock manipulation and bribery allegations.

A decision is expected tonight, and if a warrant is issued, this will mark the first time in South Korea's history that a former president and his wife are detained at the same time.

[REPORT]
The Seoul Central District Court held a hearing from 10 minutes past 10 am Tuesday on whether to issue a detention warrant for former First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

This comes five days after special prosecutor Min Joong-ki’s team filed for the warrant request on August 7.

A detention warrant hearing on a former first lady is the first in the country's constitutional history.

For one, Kim is accused of playing a role in the Deutsch Motors stock price manipulation scheme.

She is also accused of meddling in People Power Party nominations for the 2022 by-election and last year's general election as well as accepting bribes in exchange for business favors involving a shaman named Jeon Seong-bae.

The special counsel team believes as Kim denies most charges, she may coordinate testimonies with her confidants and try to destroy evidence.

The team underscored this concern in an 847-page opinion document it submitted to the court ahead of the hearing.

Meanwhile Kim's camp is expected to make the defense that she presents no flight risk.

If a warrant is issued, that will boost momentum for not only related probes but other different investigations into the former first lady.

The hearing marks a crossroad of whether a former first couple could be detained at the same time, which will be another first in constitutional history.

Kim's detention is expected to be determined as early as Tuesday night.