(LEAD) Lawyer confirms first lady’s bag return instruction

A lawyer for first lady Kim Keon Hee said Tuesday it is true that Kim ordered her aide to return a Dior bag she received as a gift from a pastor on the same day it was given, asking media to refrain from "excessive speculation" on the matter. Lawyer Choi Ji-woo released a press release, expressing hope that media will refrain from "excessively speculative and malicious articles" on the first lady. The scandal centers on allegations that Kim illegally received a Dior handbag worth about 3 million won (US$2,175) and other expensive gifts from pastor Choi Jae-young in 2022. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has been investigating the case. Legal sources said Monday the aide, surnamed Yoo, disclosed Kim's order during questioning by prosecutors on July 3. The lawyer argued that the first lady instructed Yoo to return the bag later so that pastor Choi would not feel bad, saying an immediate return of the gift may offend the pastor. "Thus the bag was kept wrapped in wrapping paper and stored in an unused state. It suggests there was no intention to use it and there was an intention to return it," the lawyer said. The lawyer went on to deny any intention to shift responsibility for the bag allegations to someone else. According to legal sources, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office handling the case is currently taking steps to have the Dior bag transferred for in-person inspection, including sending an official request to the presidential office. Once prosecutors secure the bag, they are expected to verify if it is the same one gifted by the pastor and whether it has ever been used. Source: Yonhap News Agency