Amid growing political controversy surrounding South Korea’s First Lady Kim Keon Hee and her alleged involvement in government holdings, prosecutors have intensified their probe into former First Lady Kim Jung Sook over suspicions related to her 2018 overseas trip to France.
The investigation centers on allegations that Kim Jung Sook may have embezzled a Chanel jacket she wore during a state visit to France in October 2018. Prosecutors are now working to uncover the full details of the matter.
On Thursday, legal sources reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Jo Ah Ra, has completed a thorough analysis of materials, including a Korean-themed jacket voluntarily submitted by Chanel’s headquarters and footage showing Kim Jung Sook wearing the jacket during her visit.
Prosecutors have confirmed that the Korean jacket Chanel submitted is indeed the same one Kim Jung Sook wore during her 2018 visit to France. However, earlier allegations that she failed to return the jacket to Chanel have been proven to be false.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) had raised concerns that Kim Jung Sook did not return the jacket to Chanel’s headquarters after the trip. Initially, these allegations sparked significant political controversy. However, investigators have determined that the jacket was indeed returned, and the probe’s focus has since shifted to the timeline of the jacket’s return and the following donation process.
Following the forensic analysis by the Digital Forensic Center at the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, it was confirmed that the jacket Chanel submitted was the same one Kim Jung Sook wore Sook during her state visit. This verification encouraged the prosecution to focus on examining the timeline of the jacket’s return and subsequent donation after the trip.
The investigation has expanded to include the circumstances surrounding the donation of a separate Chanel jacket to the National Museum of Korea in late 2021—nearly three years after Kim Jung Sook wore the original coat. The questions now center around why Chanel produced a second jacket for donation and when exactly it was given to the museum.
Meanwhile, Kim Jung Sook’s Chanel jacket was displayed at a special exhibition in September 2021 at the French Cultural Center and the National Hangeul Museum in Seoul. Following the exhibition, it was donated to the Hangeul Museum. In March 2022, the jacket was again displayed at another exhibition held at Incheon International Airport.
However, there were concerns that the jacket on distally was not the same one Kim Jung Sook wore, leading to confusion and further controversy. Explanations from the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration and Chanel were conflicting, which added to the public’s doubts.
Initially, the Blue House had stated, “The jacket was returned, and Chanel donated it to the National Hangeul Museum for exhibition.” But Chanel later clarified that, upon the museum’s request, it had produced a separate jacket and donated it for the exhibition.
As the controversy grew, the Blue House changed its stance, stating, “It is not possible to donate borrowed items, so Chanel created a new jacket for donation,” contradicting its earlier statements.
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