Prosecutors Raid Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's Seoul Residence in Influence-Peddling Investigation

South Korean prosecutors raided the private residence of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and influence-peddling involving shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin. The probe centers on claims that Jeon, who faces charges of illicit political fundraising, acted as a conduit between the former presidential couple and religious figures, notably receiving valuable gifts and cash from a Unification Church official purportedly intended to secure government support for church interests. Authorities seized documents and materials from the couple's luxury apartment in an effort to verify whether gifts such as a diamond necklace and cash payments were indeed passed to Kim Keon Hee. This marks the first search and seizure operation targeting the former president and his wife, who have been under scrutiny since Yoon's impeachment and removal from office over an attempted martial law declaration. Critics argue that the unfolding scandal highlights concerns about the intersection of political power, religious influence, and governance during Yoon's presidency. Yoon and Kim, having left the presidential residence, remain at the center of ongoing legal and public attention as prosecutors reconstruct the extent of Jeon's involvement in their political affairs.