Prosecutor General Lee One-seok said Tuesday the prosecution will continue to investigate the alleged luxury gift case involving first lady Kim Keon Hee according to principles, one day after an abrupt reshuffle of senior prosecutors in charge of the investigation.In the controversial reshuffle, Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Jeonju District Prosecutors Office, who is said to be close to President Yoon Suk Yeol, was tapped to replace Song Kyung-ho as new head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, which is in charge of the investigation into the first lady. All four deputy chief prosecutors under Song were also replaced.On his way to work at the Supreme Prosecutors Office, Prosecutor General Lee told reporters that he does not expect the reshuffle to affect the ongoing probe into the first lady.”No matter who leads the investigations, I believe the prosecution will continue to investigate according to the legal principles based on evidence without any other considerations,” the top prosecutor said. “I trust our prosecutors and the investigation team. The personnel reshuffle is a personnel reshuffle, and the investigation is an investigation.”

When asked if he was at odds with the presidential office over the shakeup of senior prosecutors, Lee remained silent for about seven seconds with an expression of agony, indirectly revealing his discomfort with the reshuffle. He then simply said he would not speak on the matter.The reshuffle came after the top prosecutor ordered the creation of an investigation team dedicated to the allegations involving the first lady and pledged to speedily and strictly conduct the investigation last week.On Monday, the prosecution questioned Korean American pastor Choi Jae-young, who secretly filmed himself handing over a luxury Dior handbag to the first lady during their meeting in Seoul in September 2022, as a suspect on charges of violation of the anti-graft law, trespassing and obstruction of official duties.Choi is accused of intentionally approaching the first lady and secretly filming the delivery of the handbag worth 3 million won ($2,210) allegedly prepared by Voice of Seoul, an internet news outlet. Separately, Voice of Seoul has filed a complaint against Yoon and the 온라인카지노 first lady on suspicions of bribery and anti-graft law violations.