South Korea court jails former first lady for bribery

A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 20 months in jail on Wednesday for accepting Chanel bags and a diamond pendant from Unification Church officials in return for providing political favours.

The wife of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office last year, was cleared on other charges of stock price manipulation and violating the political funds act. Prosecutors will appeal against the not-guilty verdicts, media reports said.

The ruling comes amid a series of trials stemming from investigations into Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law in 2024 and related scandals involving the once-powerful couple.

Kim had denied all the charges and her lawyer said the team would review the ruling by Seoul Central District Court and decide whether to appeal the bribery conviction.

The lead judge of the three-justice bench said the position of first lady does not come with any formal power allowing involvement in state affairs, but is a symbolic role representing the country.

“A person who was in such a position might not always be a role model, but the person must not be a bad example to the public,” Woo In-sung said in the ruling.

The court fined her 12.8 million won ($8,990) and ordered the confiscation of the necklace. Kim has been detained since August while under investigation.

Prosecutors had demanded 15 years in jail and fines of 2.9 billion won if she was found guilty on all charges.

The defendant, wearing a dark suit and a face mask, was escorted into the courtroom by guards and sat quietly while the verdict was delivered.

A statement from Kim’s lawyers said she “humbly accepts the court’s stern criticism” and is “sorry for causing public concern”.

Supporters of Yoon and Kim, who braved freezing temperatures outside the court compound, cheered after the not-guilty verdicts on two of the charges were delivered.

The Unification Church said it had not expected anything in return for the gifts. Its leader, Han Hak-ja, who is also on trial, has denied that she was attempting to bribe Kim.

SHAMAN, POLITICAL BROKER

Kim had drawn intense public scrutiny even before her husband was elected president in 2022 over questions about her academic record and lingering suspicion about stock price manipulation.

Her alleged association with a political broker and a person known as a shaman also drew public criticism that the two may be unduly influencing the former first couple.

Yoon, who was ousted from power last April, faces eight trials on charges including insurrection, after his failed bid to impose martial law in December 2024.

He has appealed against a five-year jail term handed to him this month for obstructing attempts to arrest him after his martial law decree.

At a separate trial this month, prosecutors sought the death penalty for Yoon on the charge of masterminding an insurrection. The court will rule on the case on February 19.

Yoon has argued it was within his powers as president to declare martial law and that the action was aimed at sounding the alarm over the obstruction of government by opposition parties.