Lead

A Seoul court on Friday sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to seven years in prison for taking expensive gifts in return for job appointments and business favors, according to Yonhap News Agency. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after she was indicted on charges of accepting bribes for mediation.

Coverage Comparison

Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's leading wire service, reported on the verdict and the details of the case across multiple articles. One report, published after the hearing, noted that the court found Kim guilty on all counts and quoted the presiding judge as saying she "disregarded the social responsibilities associated with the position of first lady and used it merely as a means to pursue her private interests." Another article, published earlier in the week, previewed the upcoming sentencing and noted that special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had demanded a 7 1/2-year prison term.

Key Claims

The charges stem from gifts Kim allegedly received between March 2022 and February 2023, during her husband's presidency. According to Yonhap, these included:

  • Over 100 million won (approximately US$64,750) worth of jewelry, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, from a construction company chairman between March and May 2022, in exchange for a government job for the chairman's son-in-law.
  • A golden turtle ornament in April 2022 from Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission, in exchange for her appointment to that position.
  • A Dior bag worth 5.4 million won from a pastor in 2022.
  • A Vacheron Constantin watch from a businessperson in September 2022.
  • A painting by artist Lee Ufan from a former prosecutor in February 2023, in return for help securing an election nomination.
Kim pleaded not guilty, arguing that she had received the gifts but that they did not involve any specific requests, Yonhap reported. The court, however, found her guilty on all counts, with the total value of gifts estimated at approximately 300 million won.

Perspectives

The case has drawn significant public attention in South Korea, with the sentencing hearing televised live. The judge's remarks during the hearing highlighted the court's view that Kim had exploited her position for personal gain. Kim's lawyers have indicated they plan to appeal the sentence, according to Yonhap.

It is also worth noting that this is not the first legal setback for Kim. In April of this year, an appeals court sentenced her to four years in prison in a separate corruption case. Those proceedings were unrelated to the bribery charges addressed in Friday's verdict.

As with any legal matter, the outcome of Kim's appeal could alter the final disposition. The case against her was pursued by special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which had argued that Kim repeatedly used her status as the presidential spouse for personal transactions.