In a landmark judicial ruling that has captured national attention, Kim Keon-hee, spouse of impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for corruption offenses. The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict on Wednesday, finding the former first lady guilty of exploiting her official position for personal enrichment.
The court mandated both incarceration and financial penalties, ordering confiscation of 12.81 million won (approximately $9,010 USD) acquired through illicit means. Presiding judges determined that Kim had accepted bribes from Unification Church representatives during 2022 in exchange for providing preferential treatment to the religious organization.
However, the judiciary cleared Kim of several other serious allegations. The court returned not-guilty verdicts regarding capital markets act violations and political funds act infractions. Prosecutors’ claims of stock price manipulation involvement were rejected, with judges noting insufficient evidence to establish complicity despite acknowledging her awareness of the market interference activities.
The case involved multiple layers of alleged misconduct. Prosecutors had contended that Kim collaborated with her husband to illegally obtain public opinion polling data valued at 270 million won ahead of the presidential election. Additional charges included attempting to influence party politics by orchestrating mass enrollment of Unification Church members in the People Power Party.
This conviction marks a historic moment in South Korean judicial history, as Kim becomes the first spouse of a former president to undergo trial while in detention. She has remained incarcerated since August 2025 following her indictment, representing a dramatic fall from grace for the former presidential family.