South Korea’s former first lady sentenced to jail term in bribery case

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Lyndal RowlandsJanuary 28, 2026 at 08:02 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

A South Korean court has sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in prison for accepting bribes from the Unification Church. The Seoul Central District Court found her guilty of receiving at least $200,000 in bribes and lavish gifts from businesses and politicians. Kim was accused of colluding with the religious sect to undermine the separation of religion and state. She denied all charges but apologized for causing trouble. Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is potentially facing the death penalty over his role in declaring martial law in 2024 while president. The sentencing marks a significant development in the ongoing bribery case against Kim and her associates.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Takaichi 30% Min Joong-ki 40% Yonhap 50% Han Hak-ja 50% Seoul Central District Court 60% Unification Church ×480% Yoon Suk Yeol ×385% South Korea ×690% Kim Keon Hee ×795%

Keywords

kim keon hee 100% south korea 90% bribery 90% unification church 80% jail sentence 80% yoon suk yeol 70% political scandal 70% corruption 60% separation of religion and state 50% abuse of power 50%