Ask Onix
Former first lady sentenced to 20 months in prison
Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, was handed a 20-month jail term on Wednesday for accepting bribes from the Unification Church. The Seoul Central District Court ruled she had exploited her position for personal enrichment, marking the first time in the nation's history that a former presidential couple faces simultaneous convictions.
Court clears other election-related charges
Judge Woo In-sung acquitted the 52-year-old on two additional counts: stock price manipulation and receiving free opinion polls from a political broker ahead of the 2022 election, which her husband won. Prosecutors had pushed for a 15-year sentence and a 2 billion won ($1.4 million) fine across all three charges.
Judge condemns misuse of power
In delivering the verdict, Woo stated Kim had "misused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain" and failed to resist improper advances. "The higher one's position, the more consciously one must guard against such conduct," he said. "The defendant was preoccupied with self-adornment."
"I humbly accept the court's stern admonition and will not take its weight lightly. Once again, I sincerely apologise to everyone for the concern I have caused."
Kim Keon Hee, in a post-verdict statement
Luxury gifts and political favors
A special counsel team found Kim received 80 million won ($56,000) in gifts from the Unification Church between April and July 2022, including a Graff diamond necklace and multiple Chanel handbags. The exchanges were tied to promises of business and political favors. While Kim denied demanding the bribes, the court ordered her to repay 12.85 million won in cash and confiscated the necklace.
Ongoing legal battles and controversies
Kim still faces separate charges involving the alleged recruitment of Unification Church members into her husband's conservative People Power Party and accepting gifts in exchange for government job appointments. She has consistently denied wrongdoing, though she admitted to receiving-and later returning-Chanel bags.
Last August, she publicly apologized during questioning, calling the allegations "deeply unjust" but acknowledging she had "caused concern." The scandal also led to the arrest of Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.
Academic misconduct adds to scrutiny
Beyond criminal probes, Kim's reputation suffered further when Sookmyung Women's University revoked her 1999 art education degree last year. An ethics panel determined she had plagiarized her master's thesis.
Broader fallout for the former president
Yoon Suk Yeol, who left office in 2024, is already serving a five-year prison sentence for abusing power and obstructing justice related to a failed martial law bid. The couple's legal troubles underscore a rare moment of accountability for South Korea's political elite.
