On January 28, 2026, a South Korean court sentenced Kim Keon Hee, the country’s former first lady, to 20 months behind bars. The Seoul Central District Court found her guilty of bribery in a case involving the Unification Church. She was accused of accepting luxuries in exchange for political favors. Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year sentence and fines amounting to about $2 million (2.9 billion won).
Wife of the removed President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee was charged with multiple offenses, including bribery, stock manipulation, and breaking political funds laws. However, the court dismissed the stock manipulation and political funds act violations due to a lack of evidence. Her conviction was primarily based on her acceptance of lavish gifts such as a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from Unification Church officials.
The Seoul Central District Court’s verdict has drawn significant attention across the nation.
Throughout the trial, Kim consistently denied all allegations. Following the court’s decision, her lawyers stated that she would “humbly accept” the verdict and expressed her apology for causing concerns. Led by Choi Ji-woo, her defense team is considering an appeal. Conversely, Min Joong-ki, the independent counsel who prosecuted the case, plans to appeal the sentence, aiming for the full 15-year term initially proposed.
Kim has been incarcerated since August 2025, when an arrest warrant was issued due to fears she might tamper with evidence. Prosecutors claim that Kim accepted at least $200,000 in gifts, including two Chanel handbags, over and above the items directly linked to the bribery conviction.
Also implicated in the case is Han Hak-ja,82, widow of Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, who is currently facing trial in connection with the bribery accusations. The Unification Church denies expecting reciprocation for the gifts, asserting they were given without any conditions attached. Nevertheless, prosecutors were able to convince the court that the luxury items were given specifically to obtain political favors from Kim, and thereby, influence in the presidential administration.
The legal issues surrounding Kim are just one aspect of the dramatic downfall of South Korea’s former presidential couple. Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law in December 2024, causing a political crisis that resulted in his impeachment and subsequent removal from office. Yoon now faces charges of rebellion and is involved in eight different trials related to his temporary enforcement of martial law.
The former president has already been sentenced to five years in prison on charges related to his resistance to arrest following the martial law declaration. In relation to the rebellion charges, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Yoon, marking his case as one of the most severe faced by a former South Korean leader in recent history. Investigations concluded that Kim had no involvement in Yoon’s imposition of martial law.
The bribery scandal leading to Kim’s conviction was not her only controversial involvement during her tenure as first lady. In 2023, a scandal known as the “Dior bag scandal” erupted when hidden camera footage seemed to show Kim accepting a $2,200 Dior bag. This controversy significantly impacted President Yoon’s approval ratings and gave a sustained edge to his political adversaries.
The series of scandals involving Kim added to the growing pressure on the Yoon administration in the months leading up to the martial law crisis.
Speculation initially arose in Seoul that Yoon’s surprising decision to enforce martial law might have been a strategy to shield his wife from criminal investigations. However, Cho Eun-suk, who led an independent investigation into the martial law declaration, conducted a comprehensive probe into the motivations behind the declaration.
The court’s ruling against Kim precedes the expected verdict on the rebellion charges faced by Yoon. The former president’s trial, scheduled for February 19, could potentially result in a death sentence, as explicitly requested by prosecutors. The severity of the charges against both members of the former presidential couple highlights the depth of the political and legal crisis surrounding South Korea’s erstwhile first family.
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received a 23-year prison sentence for his involvement in supporting the martial law decree. This lengthy sentence reflects the judiciary’s stern stance towards those implicated in the constitutional crisis of December 2024. These high-profile convictions have altered South Korea’s political landscape and demonstrated the country’s commitment to holding influential figures accountable.
Both the defense and prosecution can appeal the ruling, suggesting that Kim’s legal journey may extend for months or years through South Korea’s appellate courts. Given both parties’ dissatisfaction with various aspects of the verdict, appeals are almost certain. This case has gripped the South Korean public, serving as a symbol of the dramatic fall from grace for a couple who once held the nation’s premier office.
Kim was present in the Seoul Central District Court when the lead judge announced the verdict. This scene contrasted starkly with her former role as South Korea’s first lady, representing the country alongside the president at official events. The presidential couple now find themselves incarcerated separately, awaiting the outcome of multiple criminal proceedings that will seal their fate.
