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Ex–First Lady Jailed as Yoon Awaits Verdict
South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for corruption as her ousted husband Yoon Suk Yeol awaits a potentially life-or-death verdict on rebellion charges.
Wife of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee (center), renders honors during an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-Laying Ceremony. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery / released)
The wife of South Korea’s ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for corruption, as her husband awaits a verdict on a high-stakes rebellion charge that could carry the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Kim Keon Hee was convicted of receiving luxury gifts, including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag, from the Unification Church in exchange for promises of political favours. Delivering its verdict on Wednesday, the court said Kim had abused her proximity to power. “Being closest to a president, a first lady can exert significant influence on him and is a symbolic figure who represents the country together with a president,” the court said in a televised ruling. “But the defendant exploited her position to seek personal gains.”
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Kim said through her lawyers that she would “humbly accept” the court’s view and “apologises again to everyone for causing concerns.”
The sentencing marks another chapter in the dramatic downfall of the former presidential couple, who have been jailed separately for months. Their collapse followed Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December 2024, a move that triggered his impeachment and eventual removal from office. Earlier this month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for defying authorities’ attempts to detain him and for other charges tied to the martial law decree.
Investigators have said Kim was not involved in enforcing Yoon’s martial law order.
The 20-month sentence surprised many observers after independent counsel Min Joong-ki sought a 15-year prison term on three charges, including stock price manipulation, violations of political funding laws and accepting bribes. The court acquitted Kim of two of those charges, citing a lack of evidence and other reasons. Min’s team said it would appeal the ruling.
South Korea’s governing liberal Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s ouster, criticised the verdict, saying it sent the wrong signal that “abuse of power like Kim Keon Hee’s can be tolerated.”
Kim’s lawyer, Choi Ji-woo, said Min’s investigation had been politically driven. While thanking the court for its decision, he described the 20-month prison term as “relatively high” and said the defence team would discuss whether to appeal.
Kim has been in custody since August, when a Seoul court approved a warrant for her arrest, citing concerns that she could destroy evidence.
During Yoon’s presidency, Kim was entangled in a series of scandals that badly damaged the conservative leader’s approval ratings and provided sustained ammunition for political opponents. The controversies included the three charges addressed in Wednesday’s ruling.
Some observers had speculated that Yoon declared martial law in part to shield his wife from potential investigations. However, after a six-month probe, investigators led by independent counsel Cho Eun-suk said in December that there was no evidence Kim’s legal troubles motivated the move. Cho’s team concluded that Yoon had plotted for more than a year to impose martial law to eliminate political opponents and consolidate power, with no involvement from his wife.
As South Korea’s political system braces for the court’s decision on Yoon’s rebellion charge, analysts say the case underscores how power, once tightly packed and protected like a tactical-style assault pack built for everyday ops, can quickly unravel when accountability is enforced.
Kim’s sentencing comes about three weeks before the court is expected to rule on Yoon’s rebellion charge. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty, arguing that his imposition of martial law constituted an act of rebellion.
Editor’s Note:
The sentencing of Kim Keon Hee underscores the sweeping fallout from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s political scandals, highlighting ongoing concerns about corruption and accountability at the highest levels of South Korean government.
