Seoul, Dec 29 (NationPress) The Special Counsel team led by Min Joong-ki in South Korea has leveled serious accusations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee, alleging her involvement in illicit state affairs "behind the curtains" during a press briefing that unveiled the final findings of their investigation.

This claim came a day after the conclusion of a thorough 180-day inquiry into various corruption allegations against Kim, who is married to the ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

During the briefing, assistant special counsel Kim Hyong-kun stated, "The investigation has revealed that the president's spouse engaged in a modern-day sale of public offices, a practice more suitable for history books, and manipulated state affairs clandestinely, away from public scrutiny."

In addition, Kim was indicted last week for allegedly accepting lavish gifts from business individuals in exchange for political favors and appointments.

She stands accused of receiving gifts valued at 370 million won (approximately $258,000), which includes a painting worth 140 million won, from a former prosecutor in return for her backing in the People Power Party's (PPP) nomination during last year's elections.

Since its inception in July, Min's investigative team has concentrated on three primary accusations: Kim's supposed involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, her acceptance of complimentary opinion polls from a self-styled power broker, and her alleged receipt of luxury gifts from the Unification Church.

Throughout the investigation, approximately 20 individuals, including Kim, have been detained, with many more indicted, including both Kim and her husband.

Notably, Kim is accused of colluding with a former head of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, alongside an associate, to manipulate the company's stock price, yielding illegal profits of 810 million won (about $561,000) between 2010 and 2012, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

She is also alleged to have received free opinion polls worth 270 million won, together with her husband, from a self-proclaimed power broker before the 2022 presidential election.

Assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee accused Kim of taking a "leading role" since her husband's entry into politics, highlighting that the couple has operated as a "political union" since Yoon's election.

Furthermore, Kim faces allegations of accepting luxury gifts valued at 80 million won from the Unification Church in exchange for business advantages in 2022 and her suspected involvement in a scheme to recruit followers of the Unification Church for the PPP ahead of its 2023 leadership race.