Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to four years in prison after an appeals court found her guilty of stock manipulation and bribery. The ruling marks a dramatic escalation in the legal troubles surrounding the former first lady and adds to the growing political fallout connected to investigations involving the former presidential couple.
According to the appellate court, Kim participated in manipulating the price of a thinly traded South Korean stock alongside multiple traders. The decision overturned a lower court ruling that had previously acquitted her of the stock manipulation allegations.
In addition to the market-related charges, the court also found Kim guilty of accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church. Prosecutors alleged that she received two Chanel handbags and a Graff necklace worth approximately 80 million won, equivalent to over $54,000, while being aware that the organization expected political assistance connected to its overseas business interests.
During the judgment, the lead judge stated that Kim had used her influence as first lady in ways that undermined public confidence in government integrity and transparency. The court further noted that the scandal deepened political divisions and damaged public trust in national leadership.
Alongside the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of 70 million won and ordered the confiscation of the luxury necklace linked to the bribery case.
Kim had previously received a 20-month sentence in January related to bribery charges, while other allegations at the time resulted in acquittals. Prosecutors later appealed the earlier ruling, leading to the tougher sentence handed down by the higher court.
The appeals court, however, upheld the earlier decision clearing Kim of allegations tied to illegally supporting a candidate during a 2022 by-election campaign.
Kim has reportedly remained in detention since August and continues to deny all charges brought against her. Her legal team has announced plans to challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court.
The case forms part of a broader wave of investigations and legal battles stemming from controversies surrounding Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law in 2024 and multiple scandals linked to the once-powerful political couple.
The conviction has attracted widespread attention across South Korea, where the case has become one of the country’s most closely watched political and judicial developments in recent years.
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