Kim Keon Hee, the wife of impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, faces mounting prison time after a Seoul court on Friday sentenced her to seven years in prison in a sweeping bribery case — the latest and most severe blow in a legal saga that has shadowed the once-powerful couple for years.

The Seoul Central District Court found Kim guilty on every bribery-related charge brought against her, finding that she accepted luxury gifts worth approximately 300 million won (roughly $195,000) in return for using her influence to facilitate government job appointments and provide business advantages to those seeking her help. The court rejected her defense team’s central arguments, which maintained that she either never received the gifts or that no quid pro quo connected them to any specific favors.

Court Condemns Abuse of Influence

The three-justice bench delivered a harsh assessment of Kim’s conduct, ruling that she continued to accept high-end presents while using her position of power as a commodity for exchange, thereby falling short of the duties expected of a presidential consort. Kim sat quietly as the lead judge delivered the verdict, having arrived at the courthouse in a dark suit and face mask.

Her legal team swiftly announced plans to review the ruling and decide whether to appeal the conviction.

Legal Troubles Began in 2025

The seven-year sentence comes months after Kim’s legal problems accelerated. In April 2026, an appeals court sentenced Kim to four years in prison for stock manipulation and for accepting bribes from South Korea’s Unification Church, including a luxury bag. She was already serving that sentence when the latest bribery conviction was handed down.

Prosecutors had pushed for a heavier sentence in the current case, requesting seven years and six months in prison. Kim denied all charges in that case.

The Unification Church has maintained that its gifts to Kim were offered without any expectation of reciprocal action. Its leader, Han Hak-ja, who is herself on trial, has denied directing the church to bribe Kim.

Yoon’s Own Legal Troubles Deepen

Kim’s compounding legal jeopardy unfolds against the broader collapse of the Yoon administration. Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted from power last year following the impeachment that resulted from his brief and chaotic attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. That episode set off a cascade of criminal investigations that have ensnared both him and Kim in parallel but separate proceedings.

Yoon was sentenced to life in prison on February 19, 2026, for masterminding the insurrection tied to his martial law declaration, and received an additional 30-year sentence for drone provocations over North Korea.

What Comes Next for Kim

Kim now faces prison sentences across multiple cases — the four-year term from April 2026 and the seven-year sentence from the latest bribery conviction. The ruling can be appealed by either the former first lady or prosecutors, meaning the final outcome of her sentence will likely remain unsettled for some time. What is clear, however, is that the legal walls around the former first lady are closing in from multiple directions at once, with no resolution in sight.