South Korean Court Jails Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee for Bribery

SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) – A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting luxury gifts, including Chanel handbags and a diamond pendant, from officials linked to the Unification Church in exchange for political favours.

The Seoul Central District Court, however, cleared Kim of charges related to stock price manipulation and violations of political funding laws. Prosecutors said they would appeal the acquittals, according to local media. Kim’s legal team said it would review the ruling before deciding whether to challenge the bribery conviction.

Kim is the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office last year. The ruling comes amid a wave of legal proceedings following investigations into Yoon’s short-lived declaration of martial law in 2024 and a series of scandals involving the former power couple.

While the role of first lady carries no formal authority, the presiding judge said the position carries symbolic weight and requires high ethical standards. “Such a person must not become a negative example to the public,” the judge said.

The court also imposed a 12.8 million won ($8,990) fine and ordered the confiscation of the diamond necklace. Kim has been in detention since August following an investigation led by a special prosecutor. Prosecutors had sought 15 years in prison and fines totaling 2.9 billion won across all charges.

Kim, dressed in a dark suit and wearing a face mask, remained silent as the verdict was read. Outside the courthouse, supporters of Yoon and Kim cheered after the court delivered not-guilty verdicts on two of the charges, despite freezing temperatures.