Police have referred former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former Presidential Security Service Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon to prosecutors for orchestrating a "yacht party" for former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife. In contrast, former first lady Kim Keon-hee was cleared, as investigators could not confirm whether she had issued any instructions.
The Korean National Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters, which took over the remaining cases from the Kim Keon-hee special counsel probe, said in a media notice Tuesday that "the case against suspect Kim Keon-hee was closed without referral due to insufficient evidence." The former minister and former deputy chief, both accused of preparing the yacht party at the time, were referred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office without detention on charges of instigating abuse of power and abuse of power, respectively, under the Presidential Security Act.
The former president and his wife faced allegations of privately using military assets after hosting a party in August 2023 aboard the navy VIP vessel at Jeodo Island in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. Kim Sung-hoon was found to have issued excessive orders to security service staff, including instructions to procure premium ingredients such as diamond grouper, install karaoke equipment, and prepare fireworks.
He also faces charges of abuse of power for ordering unreasonable navigation, including blocking the vessel's entry into port or changing its course so that the fireworks could be viewed up close. Kim Yong-hyun, who served as head of the Presidential Security Service at the time, was identified as having passed down these orders.
However, police reportedly did not find evidence that Kim Keon-hee had requested the diamond grouper or fireworks during preparations for the party. Kim has also maintained her position that "Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon handled matters on his own." She refused to cooperate with the special counsel's investigation into the allegations last December, and the police, who subsequently took over the case, did not conduct a summons interrogation either.
Separately, police also referred Kim Yong-hyun on perjury charges on the same day. He is accused of giving false testimony when he appeared as a witness at the fourth hearing of former President Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in January last year, denying that he had ordered lawmakers to be dragged out to block the vote to lift martial law.
