South Korea jails ex-first lady for 7 years for accepting luxury gifts

South Korea jails ex-first lady for 7 years for accepting luxury gifts Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to seven years in prison for "exploiting her influence as a means of brokering favours" The wife of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol who received a diamond necklace, a Tiffany brooch, various artworks and other luxury gifts in exchange for favours has been jailed. Former first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced by the Seoul Central District Court to seven years in prison for corruption after receiving the goods. The ruling comes as she is already serving a four year jail term handed out by an appeals court in a separate case over charges that she accepted gifts from the Unification Church and profited from a stock price manipulation scheme. “Given the nature of the position, a president’s spouse must exercise the highest degree of self-restraint and vigilance,” said Judge Jo Soon-pyo. “Nevertheless, defendant Kim Keon Hee neglected that social responsibility and repeatedly accepted valuables by exploiting her influence as a means of brokering favours.” The court also ordered the confiscation of gifts Kim had received, including a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond necklace, a Tiffany brooch, a Dior handbag, a sculpture of a gold turtle and a painting by famous Korean artist Lee Ufan. Wearing a gray suit and a white face mask, Kim, who has admitted receiving the gifts but denied they were tied to favours, quietly listened to the verdict with her head bowed. She has been standing trial in multiple cases since her arrest last August. Kim’s legal team, in a statement, criticised Friday’s verdict as being based on a “loose interpretation” of insufficient evidence and said it would appeal. Yoon was removed from office in April 2025, months after he was impeached over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 following a standoff with the liberal opposition, which held a legislative majority and blocked much of his agenda. Arrested in July 2025, the former conservative leader is standing trial in multiple cases and has appealed a life sentence for rebellion and a separate 30-year prison term over charges that he ordered drone flights over North Korea’s capital to inflame tensions and justify martial law at home. Liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who won an early presidential election last year to replace Yoon, has authorized multiple investigations into Yoon’s martial law imposition and other allegations involving his government and wife. A special prosecutor indicted Kim in December over various bribery charges, including that she in 2022 received the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and other jewellery items worth a combined 138 million won (£68,000) from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-kwan, in exchange for securing a government post for Lee’s son-in-law. The court found Kim guilty on that charge and also gave Lee a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, in Friday’s ruling. Kim was also convicted of accepting a luxury watch from businessman Seo Seong-bin, who sought government support for his robotic dogs business, as well as a Dior handbag and other gifts from Pastor Choi Jae-yong, who wanted to join a civilian diplomatic delegation and other government-funded programmes. She also received a gold turtle and a traditional painting from former National Education Commission chief Lee Bae-yong, who lobbied for her appointment and a painting by Lee Ufan worth 140 million won (£69,000) from former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min, who sought the conservative party ’s nomination for the 2024 legislative elections. The court gave Seo and Lee Bae-yong suspended prison sentences and fined Choi 8 million won (£4,000).