Third special investigation surrounding Kim Geon-hee's family accelerates investigations into stock price manipulation, highways, and treason.

Prologue: Three Special Investigations, One Person in Focus

In 2025, three unprecedented special investigations are simultaneously underway at the center of South Korean politics and the judiciary. Each of these special investigations started from entirely different incidents, but as the investigations progress, they astonishingly converge at a single point. At that intersection stands Kim Geon-hee, the spouse of President Yoon Seok-yeol. The special investigation regarding the death of Chae Sang-byeong, the insurrection special investigation addressing allegations of constitutional order destruction, and the Kim Geon-hee special investigation, which includes the Deutsche Motors, Yangpyeong Expressway, and Uri Technology cases, seem to trace different orbits, yet all paths ultimately lead to Kim Geon-hee and Yoon Seok-yeol. As of July 2025, while each of these three special investigations possesses its own unique momentum, their investigative trajectories overlap, creating a massive singular picture. These three special investigations transcend mere political inquiries, confronting power-based corruption and the erosion of constitutional order in the arena of judicial justice.

Chapter 1: Repeated Stock Manipulation, Repeated Figures

The stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Kim Geon-hee are unfolding as a series of events rather than a single incident. Starting with Deutsche Motors, followed by Woosung Technology and Samboo Construction, it is characterized by the repeated appearance of similar methods and the same individuals. The Deutsche Motors case centers on the suspicion that Kim Geon-hee manipulated stock prices through collusive trading by entrusting a securities account to others. Recent recordings of phone calls with a securities firm employee contain Kim Geon-hee's voice, which is regarded as one of the strongest pieces of direct evidence secured by the special investigation team. The Woosung Technology case overlaps chronologically with the Deutsche Motors case, featuring the same individuals appearing in sequence. Individuals like Son ○, Lee Jong-seok, and Kim Ki-hyun, referred to as the 'stock price manipulation team', reappear, and Kim Geon-hee is under investigation for allegedly acquiring convertible bonds and reaping illicit profits from Woosung Technology. This case is significant because if the amount of profit exceeds 5 billion won, the statute of limitations extends to 15 years, leading the special investigation team to focus on substantiating the scale of Kim Geon-hee's gains. The Samboo Construction case is evolving into allegations of stock price manipulation involving state power. The term 'Samboo Check', which emerged during the investigation into the Marine Corps death incident, subsequently led to suspicions of stock price manipulation related to Samboo Construction. Notably, the situation indicates that the presidential couple has effectively become a boon for rising stock prices. There have been indications that just the fact that the president is providing administrative support related to the matter and that Kim Geon-hee is engaging in activities linked to the company has caused a sharp increase in stock prices, which is interpreted as an unprecedented example of power-led stock price manipulation.

Chapter 2: The Power That Twisted the Highway, Allegations of Yongpyeong Expressway

The change in the Yangpyeong Expressway route is being brought to the forefront as a case of power being utilized for personal gain. Shortly after Yoon Suk-yeol was elected president, the endpoint of the expressway was diverted in the direction of land owned by the family of Kim Geon-hee, resulting in the injection of several hundred billion won of taxpayer money. The original plan, which had been under review for over ten years, was discarded, and a new route was confirmed in just a few months. The altered route borders the land owned by Kim Geon-hee's mother, Choi Eun-soon, and her brother, Kim Jin-woo, and it is analyzed that the development potential and the increase in land value in the area will be substantial. Relatedly, key figures such as former Yangpyeong County Mayor and People's Power lawmaker Kim Seon-kyo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, Choi Eun-soon, and Kim Jin-woo are currently under travel bans, and the special investigation team is looking into whether there was planning at the time of the transition team, the involvement of the Ministry of Land, and land expropriation plans. Additionally, testimonies have been confirmed that past investigations by the Yangpyeong Police Station and the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency were thwarted due to external pressure. Ultimately, with the special investigation into Kim Geon-hee officially underway, this incident is expanding beyond mere local development favoritism to become a nationwide issue regarding the interference of the core of the regime in vested interests.

Chapter 3: Circumstances of the Destruction of the Constitutional Order, Special Investigation on Rebellion and Detention Interrogation

The special prosecutor for the rebellion has requested an arrest warrant based on evidence that Yoon Suk-yeol threatened the constitutional order of the state and attempted to privately mobilize the military during his tenure. The hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 2:15 PM at the Seoul Central District Court. The special prosecutor stated that it has secured evidence indicating Yoon Suk-yeol directly instructed or tolerated the martial law scenario through Colonel Park Jeong-hoon and attempted to block the National Assembly by summoning only some of the Cabinet members. In particular, according to the testimony of former Security Office official Kim Seong-hoon, Yoon Suk-yeol expressed intentions for armed demonstrations with statements like "Show me the gun" and "The Security Office shoots the best," suggesting that the allegations have extended beyond mere abuse of power to conspiracy to commit rebellion. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has also been identified as involved in the "joint preparation and destruction of the martial law document," and the special prosecutor, Cho Eun-seok, has announced that additional suspects, including Han Duck-soo, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, and former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, will also be investigated. Although Yoon Suk-yeol's side continues to deny the allegations, the special prosecutor believes this hearing for the arrest warrant could mark a significant turning point, given the evidence of Yoon Suk-yeol's direct instructions secured through testimonies and documents.

Chapter 4: The Budget Flowing Overseas, Allegations of Cambodian ODA

Kim Geon-hee's central role during the visit to Cambodia and the subsequent explosion in ODA budget is a point of interest for the special investigation. Following her staged scene of holding a child during the visit, the area received an ODA budget amounting to 430 billion won, of which 64.8 billion won was allocated as a private cooperation loan with unclear project purposes. This loan is reportedly linked to money laundering possibilities due to the inability to trace the utilization of funds after withdrawal. Some media outlets have raised suspicions that this money may have been used as a laundering channel to pursue private interests domestically and internationally. There are claims that Yoon Seok-yeol's camp filled the diplomatic line with their acquaintances. There are also indications that a person related to the Deutsche Motors case was appointed as the ambassador to Cambodia, which is interpreted as evidence that the ODA budget is connected to the interests of the political sphere. This structure resembles former President Lee Myung-bak’s resource diplomacy, leading to critiques of what is termed "upgraded resource diplomacy in the ODA sector." This issue is also one of the key matters being closely examined by the Kim Geon-hee special investigation.

Chapter 5: Realizing Family Business, Privatization of Power

Yoon Seok-youl referred to the 19th presidential election as a "family business." Signs that this statement is becoming a reality are beginning to emerge. In the presidential office, there are individuals involved in various power-related crimes such as the Park Geun-hye administration's corruption scandal, the Lee Myung-bak administration's comment manipulation, and the Mir Foundation. It has been confirmed through investigations that these individuals have been engaging in organized "privatized governance" from the early days of the administration. The structure in which the president and the first lady act as providers of business opportunities, relatives are directly involved, power agencies exert external pressure, and the profits are funneled into private gain is a typical case of power-related crime and a violation of national dignity. There are also claims in some political circles that this should be considered as "organized crime." The content of the special prosecutor's investigation is becoming a critical case that tests the constitutional order and the rule of law in the Republic of Korea, going beyond mere judicial accountability for Yoon Seok-youl and Kim Kun-hee.

Epilogue: The Truth Speaks After Redemption

The pre-arrest interrogation of Yoon Seok-yeol is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 2:15 PM. The outcome of this interrogation will serve as a barometer for how the special investigations into Kim Geon-hee, the insurrection, and Chae Sang-byeong will progress. The prosecution and the court have maintained an unwritten practice of 'not imprisoning spouses simultaneously' in the past, but Yoon Seok-yeol broke that norm during the investigation into the Cho Kuk family. Now, as that standard returns to him, the public demands a fair investigation. The sharp focus of the three special investigations on Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee is driven not by political motives but by accumulated evidence, statements, and constitutional judgments. South Korea must now choose between restoring constitutional order against the privatization of power or returning to an era of silence.