South Korea’s former first lady apologizes as criminal probe begins

South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee apologized Wednesday as she appeared before a special counsel for questioning over several criminal allegations, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Kim, the wife of jailed ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, is accused of stock manipulation, election meddling and receiving gifts in exchange for favors.

"I am truly sorry that a nobody like me has caused concern to the people," Kim said. "I will come out after faithfully undergoing the investigation."

She is the first spouse of a current or former South Korean president to publicly appear as a criminal suspect.

Also on Wednesday, a team led by Special Counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon raided the Foreign Ministry as part of an investigation into claims that former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup was allowed to leave the country to evade a probe into alleged government interference in a military investigation into a Marine's death in 2023.

The team has been investigating the circumstances surrounding his sudden appointment as ambassador to Australia on March 4, 2024, when he was being probed by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over his alleged involvement in the external intervention in the Marine death case.