South Korean court jails former first lady for seven years in bribery case
Key takeaways
- Kim Keon Hee was sentenced for taking bribes that included luxury items in return for political favours.
- Kim was found guilty of accepting jewellery, an expensive designer handbag and other luxury items in exchange for political favours by the Seoul Central District Court on Friday.
- “She exercised her power as first lady to offer jobs and business favours,” lead judge Cho Sun-pyo said, adding that she received the bribes “without hesitation”.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Kim Keon Hee was sentenced for taking bribes that included luxury items in return for political favours.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Former First Lady Kim Keon-hee at the Seoul Central District Court on September 24, 2025 [Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images]By Reuters Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026South Korea’s former First Lady, Kim Keon Hee, has been handed a seven-year sentence for taking bribes during and after her husband President Yoon Suk Yeol’s time in office.
Kim was found guilty of accepting jewellery, an expensive designer handbag and other luxury items in exchange for political favours by the Seoul Central District Court on Friday.