Seoul, South Korea. Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced on Friday to seven years in jail after a court found her guilty of accepting luxury items as bribes in exchange for political favours. The Seoul Central District Court also fined her 64.8 million won and ordered the confiscation of the items if they could be located.
Court ruling
The wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted in 2025 following a failed attempt to impose martial law, received the bribes before and during his presidency, the lead judge said.
The judge said Kim used her position as first lady to offer jobs and business favours and used her influence to help people obtain key government or parliamentary posts.
The judge said she accepted the bribes without hesitation and that her actions seriously damaged public trust in the fairness of public appointments.
Items cited as bribes
According to the court, the bribes included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Tiffany brooch, Graff earrings, a gold turtle, a Dior handbag, a Vacheron Constantin watch worth 39 million won, and a painting worth 140 million won.
People involved in the case
The judge said those who gave Kim bribes included a construction company owner seeking a government post for his son-in-law, a pastor seeking to expand his network with senior officials, the former head of a private university, and the chief executive of a robotic dog retailer who wanted to supply products to the presidential security team.
Response from Kim
Kim denied all charges. Her lawyer told reporters she would appeal the ruling and accused the judge of exaggerating evidence unfavourable to her, according to Yonhap News Agency.
