South Korea’s former First Lady Kim Keon Hee jailed 7 years for bribery

South Korea’s former First Lady, Kim Keon Hee, has been sentenced to seven years in prison after a court found her guilty of accepting luxury gifts in return for using her influence to secure political and business favours.

The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict on Friday, saying Kim accepted high-value gifts, including jewellery, a designer handbag and other luxury items, while serving as first lady and after leaving office.

According to the court, Kim used her position to help people obtain government jobs and business advantages.

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In addition to the prison term, the court fined her 64.8 million won (about $42,000) and ordered that all the luxury items she received be confiscated.

Kim rejected the accusations, insisting the gifts were not bribes. Her legal team has announced plans to appeal the ruling.

As reported by Al Jazeera, the court heard that the owner of a construction company gave Kim jewellery worth more than 100 million won (around $64,750) in exchange for helping his son-in-law secure a government job.

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It also found that a pastor presented her with a Dior handbag and other gifts while seeking favours related to public officials' duties, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.

Judges further ruled that a former prosecutor gave Kim a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan to support his bid for office, while a former head of the National Education Commission presented her with a gold turtle ornament in exchange for being appointed to the position.

The latest conviction adds to Kim’s legal troubles. She is already serving a four-year prison sentence handed down in April after being convicted of stock manipulation and accepting bribes linked to South Korea’s Unification Church.

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Her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is also behind bars. He is serving a life sentence after being convicted of sending military drones into North Korea, an act prosecutors said was intended to create a reason for declaring martial law in December 2024, as well as leading an insurrection. Yoon was removed from office in 2025 following his impeachment.

While he was still president, Yoon vetoed three opposition-backed bills that sought to investigate allegations against Kim. The investigations gained momentum after a video surfaced in 2023 appearing to show her accepting a luxury handbag.