South Korea's Former First Lady Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison; Husband Could Face Death Penalty
In a landmark ruling that marks the total collapse of South Korea's former first family, the Seoul Central District Court has sentenced Kim Keon-hee, wife of ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol, to 20 months in prison for bribery. This marks the first time in South Korean history that a former presidential couple has been convicted and jailed simultaneously.
The Central District Court in Seoul sentenced Kim Keon-hee, wife of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, to 20 months in prison on Wednesday after convicting her of accepting bribes. Judge Woo In-sung ruled that the defendant abused her position for personal gain, adding that individuals in high positions must be particularly vigilant against such conduct. He noted that Kim failed to reject solicitations.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the confiscation of a Graff diamond necklace received by Kim and imposed a fine of 12.85 million won. Prosecutors had originally sought a 15-year sentence on three charges, but she was convicted on only one. The judge highlighted in the verdict that Kim did not initiate or demand the bribes and has no significant criminal record. She was acquitted of charges related to stock price manipulation and receiving free public opinion polls from a political broker during the 2022 presidential election campaign.
According to findings from a special investigation team, Kim accepted gifts worth 80 million won between April and July 2022, including the diamond necklace and several Chanel handbags.In exchange for these gifts, she was asked to provide political and business favors. Kim denied the allegations, calling them deeply unjust, though she admitted to receiving the Chanel bags and claimed she returned them without using them.
During an August interrogation, she expressed genuine regret for causing concern to the public.
This conviction sets a historic precedent in South Korea, as it marks the first time a former presidential couple has been convicted simultaneously.The ousted president, Yoon Suk-yeol, is already serving a five-year prison sentence for abuse of authority and obstruction of justice related to his attempt to impose martial law in 2024.
In addition to her legal troubles, Kim was at the center of other public controversies, including the revocation of her art education degree by Sookmyung Women's University last year after an ethics committee determined she committed plagiarism in her 1999 master's thesis.
Her husband, South Korea's former president who was arrested and impeached, currently faces a prosecutorial demand for the death penalty over the short-lived military coup attempt that lasted only a few hours last year.