Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison on bribery charges. Yoon himself is awaiting trial on charges of coup plotting and insurrection.
Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to 20 months in prison as part of a corruption case. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Kim should be punished for accepting bribes.
The court found that Kim accepted valuable gifts, including a diamond necklace, from a church in exchange for promising commercial privileges. Judges stated that these actions constituted an abuse of her official position.
Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison
Prosecutors had sought a 15-year prison sentence for Kim on charges including bribery, stock manipulation, and violations of political finance laws. However, the court acquitted her of the stock manipulation and political finance charges due to insufficient evidence.
In its ruling, the court stated:
“A first lady close to the president is a symbolic figure representing the country. However, the defendant used this position for personal gain.”
Kim’s lawyers said they welcomed the verdict but argued that the 20-month sentence was “relatively harsh.”
Kim Keon Hee has been in detention since August due to concerns that she might tamper with evidence. Shortly before her arrest, she publicly apologized but denied the allegations, describing herself as “an insignificant person.”
Following their removal from office after the 2024 martial law crisis, Yoon and his wife suffered a major loss of public credibility. The corruption scandals involving Kim also caused Yoon’s public support to decline rapidly.