[Editorial] Probe transparently

First lady Kim Keon Hee was questioned face-to-face by prosecutors over the weekend.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office is investigating allegations of her involvement in a stock price manipulation case and her acceptance of a Christian Dior handbag and other luxury gifts in exchange for favors.

So far, two former first ladies have been investigated by the prosecution. Kim has become the first to be directly questioned by the prosecution while still holding the position. It is an embarrassment for a first lady to be questioned, irrespective of how the investigation turns out.

The questioning of Kim came four years after the prosecution began investigating the Deutsche Motors stock price manipulation allegations and eight months after hidden camera footage showing a pastor giving her a luxury handbag was made public.

The direct questioning came too late. The prosecution will have to take this opportunity to clarify all suspicions so that any issue involving the presidential spouse would not interrupt state affairs.

According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the questioning proceeded behind closed doors for nearly 12 hours on Saturday. The venue was not its own office building, but an undisclosed government building under the jurisdiction of the office.

The prosecutors' office explained that she was questioned clandestinely "because of guard and safety reasons." Of course, security issues can happen in connection with the questioning of a sitting president's spouse. But criticism over holding the questioning without disclosing the venue seems unavoidable. Two former first ladies were questioned by the prosecution without prior announcement, but the questioning was conducted at the prosecutors' office.

A secretive approach to the investigation is fuel for opposition parties' criticism of the prosecution that they put on a "show” to hide details that are unfavorable for Kim. Given the ongoing political battle between rival parties, it is questionable whether the prosecution can reach conclusions that both parties can agree on.

It is strange for the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office to inform Prosecutor General Lee One-seok only toward the end of its questioning of Kim. It is not normal behavior for prosecutors to question the spouse of an incumbent president without reporting it to the prosecutor general beforehand.

Lee has said that there is no exception, no favor, no sanctuary before the law. He has reportedly expressed his opposition to summoning the first lady to an undisclosed place for questioning.

The clandestine process raises controversy as to whether the prosecutors of the Seoul district bypassed Lee intentionally. There are concerns about a potential flare-up of conflict between the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, which commands district prosecutors' offices around the country. Lee apologized to the nation, saying that principles were broken in the process of the investigation.

Kim has never publicly expressed her position on the luxury bag scandal. During recent questioning by the prosecution, an administrative official of the presidential office reportedly acknowledged that the first lady did receive the handbag in September 2022, but claimed she ordered that it be returned to the pastor the same day.

The official told prosecutors that she forgot the instruction because she was too busy. Her statement falls short of quashing suspicions.

The direct questioning of Kim became unavoidable. Also, candidates for the leader of the ruling People Power Party mentioned the inevitability of questioning her in order to counter political attacks from opposition parties. Even though she apparently fell victim to a dirty trick by a pro-North Korean pastor, it was inappropriate to accept a luxury handbag from him. Kim needs to apologize to the nation directly.

It is not right to disparage the prosecutors' will to investigate just because they conducted a closed-door questioning of the first lady. Will to uncover the truth matters. Summoning the first lady should not be viewed only from a judicial point of view.

However, the prosecution must not cause any more suspicions by dragging the process out. They should investigate transparently and strictly, and conclude the probes quickly.