S. Korea Court Raises Jail Term for Ex–First Lady Kim

A South Korean appeals court has increased the prison sentence of former first lady Kim Keon Hee to four years for corruption, marking a significant escalation in one of the country’s most high-profile political scandals.

The ruling overturns aspects of a previous judgment and more than doubles her earlier sentence, following allegations linked to stock manipulation and illegal receipt of luxury gifts. The court also ordered the confiscation of assets, including a high-value necklace, and imposed a financial penalty.

Kim, the wife of imprisoned former president Yoon Suk Yeol, was found to have participated in schemes involving the manipulation of shares in Deutsch Motors, a thinly traded South Korean stock. Judges concluded she worked alongside traders in coordinated price manipulation.

The court further determined that she accepted luxury items, including Chanel handbags and a Graff necklace valued at approximately 80 million won (around $55,000), from the Unification Church. Judges said the gifts were linked to expectations of political influence in return for overseas business support.

In its ruling, the court stated that Kim abused her position as first lady, undermining public trust in government transparency and contributing to political division. It also upheld a separate finding related to illegal support for a parliamentary candidate, while clearing her of some election law violations.

Both Kim and prosecutors had appealed the earlier decision, with prosecutors arguing that she should face harsher penalties. Her legal team has confirmed plans to escalate the case to the Supreme Court.

The case is closely tied to the wider political downfall of Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and removed from office following his controversial attempt to impose martial law in late 2024. His presidency was also marked by repeated efforts to block investigations into his wife’s conduct.

Yoon himself faces multiple criminal proceedings and was previously handed a life sentence in a separate ruling, which he is also appealing. He maintains that his actions were justified in the national interest.