Soul, June 26 (Xinhua) – Kim Keon-hee, wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, was sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption, including the sale of government positions, as shown in live footage on Friday. The Soul Central District Court handed down a prison sentence, stating that Kim readily accepted luxury goods that are practically unattainable for ordinary people. Min Joong-ki's team, the independent legal representative who led the investigation into the corruption charges against the former presidential couple, sought a 7.5-year sentence for Kim for selling public offices in exchange for expensive jewelry and luxury goods.

Kim's defense team reportedly planned to appeal the verdict

Kim was charged with receiving a necklace, brooch, and earrings from a merchant between March and May 2022 in exchange for appointing his eldest son-in-law to a government position. She was also charged with accepting a golden turtle from the former head of the National Education Commission in exchange for a request for appointment in April 2022, as well as receiving wristwatches from a robotic dog entrepreneur in September in exchange for business favors.

Other charges included receiving a designer handbag from a pastor between June and September 2022 and a painting from a former prosecutor in February 2023 in exchange for requests for nomination. Kim, who was charged while in custody in August 2025, became the first wife of a former South Korean president to be tried in custody. The Soul High Court overturned the lower court's verdict in April and increased Kim's prison sentence from 20 months to four years for charges including stock price manipulation and bribery.

In addition to the verdicts, Kim was also charged with requesting the mass registration of members of the Unified Church into the then-conservative ruling People Power Party to support a specific candidate as the party leader ahead of the national party convention in 2023.

peoplesdailyonline - en.people.cn / gnews.cz