South Korean Court Sentences Ex-first Lady Kim To 7 Years For Taking Luxury Gifts Tied To Favors

SEOUL, South Korea — The woman of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 7 years successful situation Friday aft a tribunal convicted her of accepting luxury gifts from businesspeople and others seeking governmental and business favors.

The ruling by nan Seoul Central District Court came months aft an appeals tribunal sentenced nan ex-first lady, Kim Keon Hee, to 4 years successful situation successful a abstracted lawsuit complete charges that she accepted gifts from nan Unification Church and profited from a banal value manipulation scheme.

“Given nan quality of nan position, a president’s spouse must workout nan highest grade of self-restraint and vigilance,” said Judge Jo Soon-pyo. “Nevertheless, suspect Kim Keon Hee neglected that societal work and many times accepted valuables by exploiting her power arsenic a intends of brokering favors.”

The tribunal besides ordered nan confiscation of gifts Kim had received, including a Van Cleef & Arpels gem necklace, a Tiffany brooch, a Dior handbag, a retention lawsuit for a golden turtle figurine and a coating by celebrated Korean creator Lee Ufan.

Wearing a grey suit and a achromatic look mask, Kim, who has admitted receiving nan gifts but denied they were tied to favors, softly listened to nan verdict pinch her caput bowed. She has been opinionated proceedings successful aggregate cases since her apprehension past August.

Kim’s ineligible team, successful a statement, criticized Friday’s verdict arsenic being based connected a “loose interpretation” of insufficient grounds and said it would appeal.

Yoon was removed from agency successful April 2025, months aft he was impeached complete his little imposition of martial rule successful December 2024 pursuing a standoff pinch nan wide opposition, which held a legislative mostly and blocked overmuch of his agenda. Arrested successful July 2025, nan erstwhile blimpish leader is opinionated proceedings successful aggregate cases and has appealed a life condemnation for rebellion and a abstracted 30-year situation word complete charges that he ordered drone flights complete North Korea’s superior to inflame tensions and warrant martial rule astatine home.

Liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who won an early statesmanlike predetermination past twelvemonth to switch Yoon, has authorized aggregate investigations into Yoon’s martial rule imposition and different allegations involving his authorities and wife.

A typical charismatic indicted Kim successful December complete various bribery charges, including that she successful 2022 received nan Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and different jewelry items worthy a mixed $90,000 from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-kwan, successful speech for securing a authorities station for Lee’s son-in-law. The tribunal recovered Kim blameworthy connected that complaint and besides gave Lee a one-year situation sentence, suspended for 2 years, successful Friday’s ruling.

Kim was besides convicted of accepting a luxury watch from businessman Seo Seong-bin, who sought authorities support for his robotic dogs business; a Dior handbag and different gifts from Pastor Choi Jae-yong, who wanted to subordinate a civilian negotiated delegation and different government-funded programs; a golden turtle and a accepted coating from erstwhile National Education Commission main Lee Bae-yong, who lobbied for her appointment; and a coating by Lee Ufan worthy $90,900 from erstwhile elder charismatic Kim Sang-min, who sought nan blimpish party’s information for nan 2024 legislative elections.

The tribunal gave Seo and Lee Bae-yong suspended situation sentences and fined Choi $5,200.

Tong-Hyung writes for nan Associated Press.