标签： Asia

South Korea’s judicial system prepares to deliver a landmark verdict this week in the trial of Kim Keon Hee, the nation’s former first lady, marking an unprecedented moment in the country’s political history. The spouse of imprisoned ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol faces multiple felony charges including bribery, stock manipulation, and election interference—all of which she maintains are false allegations.

Prosecutors allege that between 2010 and 2012, Kim illicitly gained approximately 800 million won ($552,570) through participation in a stock price manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, South Korea’s prominent BMW dealership. Additionally, she stands accused of accepting luxury items including Chanel handbags and diamond jewelry valued at 80 million won from the controversial Unification Church in exchange for political favors. The prosecution further contends she received unauthorized campaign assistance worth 270 million won during her husband’s 2022 presidential bid.

This Wednesday’s proceedings, broadcast live from the courtroom, represent the first instance in South Korean history where a detained presidential spouse faces criminal indictment. The trial focuses specifically on the Unification Church bribery allegations, stock manipulation charges, and election law violations.

Kim’s legal troubles predate her tenure as first lady. Prior to her husband’s presidency, she faced allegations of academic misconduct that ultimately led Sookmyung Women’s University to revoke her degree in 2025 after determining her thesis contained plagiarized content. Additionally, her management of Covana Contents, an art exhibition company she founded in 2009, has been scrutinized for alleged tax evasion and kickback schemes—charges initially dismissed in 2023 but now under renewed investigation.

The most damaging evidence emerged in late-2023 through covert footage showing Kim accepting a luxury handbag from a church pastor, potentially violating South Korea’s Anti-Graft Act that prohibits public officials and their spouses from receiving gifts exceeding 1 million won. Although Kim claims she returned the items unused, the incident triggered widespread public outrage and intensified scrutiny of the presidential couple.

This case intersects with the downfall of her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who recently received a five-year prison sentence for abuse of power and attempting to impose martial law in 2024. The simultaneous imprisonment of both a former president and first lady establishes a historic precedent in South Korea’s democratic history, underscoring the nation’s intensified anti-corruption efforts and judicial accountability for highest-ranking officials.

Scotland’s highest civil court has authorized a judicial review challenging the UK government’s controversial ban on direct action group Palestine Action, setting the stage for potential constitutional implications. The Court of Session in Edinburgh granted permission for the legal proceeding during hearings scheduled for March 17-18, following a procedural session on February 23.

The legal challenge emerged after former British diplomat Craig Murray petitioned the court to declare Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s July 2023 order—which outlawed Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation—as ‘ultra vires,’ meaning beyond her legal authority. This development occurs alongside a separate judicial review already underway in England and Wales.

UK government lawyers attempted to block the Scottish case by raising two preliminary objections: questioning Murray’s legal standing as a non-member of Palestine Action, and arguing that the Scottish proceedings should not advance while the English review remains pending. However, court documents reveal the judge determined it appropriate to allow the Scottish case to proceed despite the more advanced stage of the English litigation.

Campaign group Defend Our Juries warned that a successful challenge in Scotland could create a constitutional crisis, with the ban potentially overturned in Scotland while remaining enforced elsewhere in the UK. The organization cited Freedom of Information disclosures revealing that Scotland’s counter-terrorism board had concluded in May that Palestine Action’s activities did not meet the statutory definition of terrorism.

The case has sparked allegations of governmental overreach, with critics accusing the former Home Secretary of misrepresenting a 2022 occupation of a Thales arms factory in Glasgow as terrorism. Defend Our Juries claims the ban has created enforcement chaos in Scotland, with inconsistent arrests of peaceful protesters and offers of £100 fines to avoid prosecution, arguing the legislation primarily serves to protect Israeli weapons trade interests.

The political landscape in Iraq faces renewed uncertainty as Nouri al-Maliki emerges as a potential prime ministerial candidate, stirring concerns about regional stability and international relations. The Shiite Coalition Framework alliance selected Maliki—former prime minister from 2006 to 2014—after the incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani failed to form a government following November’s elections. This development has triggered alarm in Washington and among Iraqi citizens who recall Maliki’s previous tenure, which culminated in the Islamic State group capturing vast territories and widespread accusations of sectarianism and corruption.

Donald Trump escalated tensions through a TruthSocial post, characterizing Maliki’s earlier rule as an era of ‘poverty and total chaos’ and threatening to withdraw U.S. support if Maliki returns to power. Maliki retaliated on social media platform X, condemning Trump’s remarks as a violation of Iraq’s democratic processes and advocating for diplomatic dialogue over threats.

Analysts and journalists highlight the high stakes of this political maneuvering. Muntazar al-Zaidi—the journalist internationally known for throwing his shoes at Maliki and George W. Bush in 2008—described Maliki’s previous rule as a ‘dark period’ marked by corruption, repression, and economic mismanagement. Reports indicate that approximately $500 billion vanished from state coffers during Maliki’s eight-year administration.

The U.S. administration has implied potential sanctions should a government backed by Iran-aligned paramilitaries take office, reflecting Washington’s view of Maliki as an Iranian ally. Internally, Maliki’s nomination has exposed divisions within Iraq’s political blocs. While the Sunni-led Taqadum party opposes his candidacy, citing risks of renewed sectarian conflict, the Azm Alliance has expressed support.

Experts note that Maliki’s path to power remains uncertain. Hayder al-Shakeri of Chatham House observed that although Maliki holds a numerical majority within the Shiite Coordination Framework, he lacks full consensus, complicating his ability to present himself as a unifying leader. The ongoing government-formation process—delayed as Kurdish parties select a presidential candidate—will ultimately determine whether Maliki can secure a third term amid domestic and international apprehensions.