South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee has been sentenced to seven years in prison for accepting luxury gifts including jewellery and a Dior handbag in exchange for political and business favours. The Seoul Central District Court found that she exploited her position as the wife of ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol to broker jobs and favours.
The court stated that Kim neglected her social responsibility and repeatedly used her influence to accept valuables. Among the items were a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond necklace, a Tiffany brooch, a pair of Graff earrings, a Vacheron Constantin watch worth about £19,000, and a painting by artist Lee Ufan. The court ordered confiscation of the gifts if found and imposed a fine of roughly £32,000.
Kim was found to have helped individuals obtain government or parliamentary posts in return for bribes. One bribe came from a construction company owner seeking a government role for his son-in-law, another from a pastor wanting access to high-ranking officials, and a third from a robot-dog retailer aiming to supply products to the presidential security team.
Kim denied the charges, and her lawyers plan to appeal, accusing the judge of exaggerating unfavourable evidence. She is already serving a four-year sentence for stock manipulation and bribery related to the Unification Church, handed down in April. Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is serving a life sentence for imposing martial law on false grounds in 2024.
