Impeached South Korean President’s Wife Jailed for Corruption
Kim Keon Hee, wife of South Korea’s impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for corruption, as her husband awaits a verdict on rebellion charges that could result in life imprisonment or the death penalty.
According to an AP report, Seoul Central District Court handed down the ruling on Wednesday, convicting Kim of accepting costly gifts, including a diamond necklace, from the Unification Church in return for promises of business favours.
The sentence adds to the dramatic downfall of South Korea’s former first family, whose political careers collapsed following Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024, which sparked mass protests, impeachment proceedings, and his eventual removal from office.
Kim and Yoon have been detained separately for months.
Yoon faces charges over his martial law decree and other alleged abuses of power, while Kim faced multiple corruption counts.
Investigators have confirmed she played no role in planning or enforcing martial law.
The court cleared Kim of stock price manipulation and violations of political funding laws due to insufficient evidence, but ruled that her bribery offences warranted imprisonment.
“Being close to a president, the first lady wields influence and represents the country alongside him,” the court said. “The defendant exploited that position for personal gain.”
The 20-month sentence is significantly lower than the 15-year term requested by prosecutors, who had charged Kim with bribery, market manipulation, and illegal political financing.
Her lawyers welcomed the partial acquittals but said they were considering an appeal, calling the prison term relatively high.
Kim has been in custody since August after a court-approved arrest over concerns she might tamper with evidence.
Shortly before her detention, she issued a public apology but insisted she was someone insignificant and intended to contest the charges.
The ruling comes roughly three weeks before Yoon’s own trial is expected to conclude.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking the death penalty for the former president in connection with his brief martial law.
While in office, Kim was often at the centre of scandals that eroded Yoon’s public approval.
Some analysts speculated that the martial law decree was intended to shield her from investigation, but a six-month probe led by independent counsel Cho Eun-suk found no evidence linking Kim to the move.
According to investigators, Yoon had planned martial law for over a year to target political opponents and consolidate power.
The legal battles of Yoon and Kim have emerged as one of South Korea’s most significant political scandals in recent memory.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
