[News Today] Watch allegations against Kim Keon-hee

[LEAD]
KBS exclusively reported that a businessman bought former First Lady Kim Keon-hee a luxury watch worth tens of millions of won, and around the same time won a project tied to the presidential office. Until now, Kim insisted she had no knowledge of such a watch. But footage shows her wearing one that matches the model in question.

[REPORT]
Former First Lady Kim Keon-hee met with Pastor Choi Jae-young at the office of her company Covana Contents in September 2022.

She refuted the controversy over a high-priced necklace she wore during a trip to a NATO summit.

Kim Keon-hee / (Sept., 2022)
For the scheduled overseas trip, I thought I needed some accessories. So, I borrowed them all.

It is in this moment, she is seen wearing a particular watch.

It looks similar to a watch a businessman named Seo Seong-bin claimed to have bought her at 52-million-won.

The two watches are compared up close.

Angular corners, the crown on the upper-right end of the watch and the positions of the sub-dials on the watch face are also the same.

Moreover, the slanted numbers are a unique feature of this specific model.

Seo says that he had given the watch to the former first lady on September 7, 2022.

The video was filmed six days later on September 13.

Seo said that he was able to purchase the watch at a discounted price of 35 million won, since he was a VIP customer of the brand.

KBS showed the video to Seo.

Seo Seong-bin / Watch purchaser
The strap is voluminous like this. I can say that they look similar to some extent. About 70 percent.

Seo stated that in May of 2022, Kim had asked him to purchase by proxy a watch, which she would wear on an overseas trip.

He said that of the total cost, he had received only five million won in cash with the remainder left unpaid.

Seo Seong-bin / Watch purchaser (Aug. 12, KBS News 9)
When receiving the watch, she promised to send money right away. She said so.

But she was seen wearing the watch at the moment when she accepted a luxury bag from Pastor Choi.

Kim Keon-hee / (Sept., 2022)
Why do you keep bringing this? [Well, even if I can't from next time.]
Please don't do this from now.

To a KBS' inquiry about the watch in the video, Kim's side said that she had no knowledge of it.