{"id":10159,"date":"2026-01-28T13:08:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:08:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=10159"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:08:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:08:47","slug":"south-koreas-former-first-lady-sentenced-to-jail-term-in-bribery-case-corruption-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=10159","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s former first lady sentenced to jail term in bribery case | Corruption News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Kim Keon Hee\u2019s husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is potentially facing the death penalty over his role in declaring martial law in 2024 while president.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"byline byline--single-avatar\">\n<div class=\"avatars-container\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/021059e7440d45cba3c79e9ae03f3bbf_6.jpeg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 96px) 96px, 96px\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 28 Jan 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">28 Jan 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p class=\"tr-story-p1\">A South Korean court has sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting bribes from the Unification Church, according to South Korea\u2019s official Yonhap news agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tr-story-p1\">The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday cleared Kim, the wife of disgraced ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, of additional charges of stock price manipulation and violating the political funds act.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p class=\"tr-story-p1\">Kim was accused of receiving bribes and lavish gifts from businesses and politicians, as well as the Unification Church, totalling at least $200,000.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tr-story-p1\">The prosecution team had also indicted Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, now on \u200ctrial, after the religious group was suspected of giving Kim valuables, including two Chanel handbags and a diamond necklace, as part \u200cof its efforts to win influence with the president\u2019s wife.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tr-story-p1\">Prosecutors in December said Kim had \u201cstood above the law\u201d and colluded with the religious sect to undermine \u201cthe constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4270363\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4270363\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4270363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/getty_6979a33f5b-1769579327.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 06: South Korean former first lady Kim Keon Hee arrives at the Special Prosecutor's Office on August 06, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. Former first lady Kim Keon Hee is set to appear before a special counsel Wednesday to be questioned about her alleged involvement in stock manipulation schemes, election meddling and other allegations. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun\/Getty Images)\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4270363\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">South Korean former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, centre, arrives at the Special Prosecutor\u2019s Office in August 2025 in Seoul, South Korea [File: Chung Sung-Jun\/Getty Images]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Prosecutor Min Joong-ki also said South Korea\u2019s institutions were \u201cseverely undermined by abuses of power\u201d committed by Kim.<\/p>\n<p>The former first lady had denied all the charges, claiming the allegations against her were \u201cdeeply unjust\u201d in her final testimony last month.<\/p>\n<p>But she has also apologised for \u201ccausing trouble despite being a person of no importance\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I consider my role and the responsibilities entrusted to me, it seems clear that I have made many mistakes,\u201d she said in December.<\/p>\n<p>Kim\u2019s husband, the country\u2019s former President Yoon, was ousted from office last year and has been sentenced to five years in prison for actions related to his short and disastrous declaration of martial law in December 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Yoon could still be facing the death penalty in a separate case.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, hidden camera footage appeared to show Kim accepting a $2,200 luxury handbag in what was later dubbed the \u201cDior bag scandal\u201d, further dragging down then-President Yoon\u2019s already dismal approval ratings.<\/p>\n<p>The scandal contributed to a stinging defeat for Yoon\u2019s party in general elections in April 2024, as it failed to win back a parliamentary majority.<\/p>\n<p>Yoon vetoed three opposition-backed bills to investigate allegations against Kim, including the Dior bag case, with the last veto in November 2024.<\/p>\n<p>A week later, he declared martial law.<\/p>\n<p>Kim\u2019s sentencing comes days after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison \u2013 eight years longer than prosecutors demanded \u2013 for aiding and abetting Yoon\u2019s suspension of civilian rule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kim Keon Hee\u2019s husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is potentially facing the death penalty over his role in declaring martial law in 2024 while president. Published On 28 Jan 202628 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A South Korean court has sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to one year [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10159\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}