South Korea's ex-first lady jailed 20 months for bribery

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete January 28, 2026 at 07:53 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Kim Keon Hee, the former first lady of South Korea and wife of ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to 20 months in jail by the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday for accepting bribes from the Unification Church between April and July 2022. She received 80 million won in gifts, including a diamond necklace and Chanel handbags, in exchange for business and political favors. While the court cleared her of stock price manipulation and receiving free opinion polls, it ordered her to repay 12.85 million won and confiscated the necklace. This conviction marks the first time a former presidential couple in South Korea has been convicted simultaneously, as Yoon is already serving a five-year sentence for abuse of power. Kim still faces charges related to recruiting Unification Church followers and accepting gifts for government job appointments.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

South Korea ×340% Unification Church ×250% Seoul Central District Court 60% Yoon Suk Yeol ×270% Kim Keon Hee ×480%

Keywords

bribery 90% south korea 80% former first lady 80% unification church 70% jail sentence 70% kim keon hee 60% political favors 50% yoon suk yeol 50% corruption 40%