South Korea: Special counsel summons ex-FM Park in probe into ex-first lady

Seoul, Aug 4 (IANS) A special counsel team said Monday it has summoned former Foreign Minister Park Jin to appear for questioning over corruption allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Park has been asked to appear as a reference witness at the office of special counsel Min Joong-ki at 2 p.m. to undergo questioning about the circumstances that led to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife's surprise trip to Ukraine in July 2023.

Min's team is looking into possible links between the Ukraine visit, during which Yoon discussed reconstruction projects with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and a sharp increase in the share price of midsized builder Sambu Construction Co. around that time, Yonhap news agency reported.

Park is also expected to be questioned about the Yoon administration's decision to increase the loan limit for Cambodia amid allegations the former first lady backed the Unification Church's participation in official development assistance projects in the country in exchange for a luxury necklace and other expensive gifts.

Former first lady Kim is also suspected of having tried to get former prosecutor Kim Sang-min nominated for the district previously won by Kim Young-sun ahead of the 2024 general elections.

The special counsel team has already raided the residences and offices of Kim Young-sun and Kim Sang-min and questioned Myung twice last week.

--IANS

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