A South Korean court on Wednesday, Jan 28, sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon-hee to one year and eight months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting bribes from officials associated with the Unification Church in exchange for political favors. Kim, who is married to former president Yoon Suk-yeol, was cleared of other allegations, including stock price manipulation and violations of political funding laws. The court ruled that prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence proving she influenced polling decisions or candidates in return for receiving opinion survey data from a political broker.

The ruling is part of a broader series of legal cases arising from investigations into scandals surrounding Yoon’s administration, including his brief declaration of martial law in 2024. Both Kim and prosecutors retain the right to appeal the verdict. Prosecutors had sought a much harsher punishment, requesting a 15-year prison sentence along with fines totaling 2.9 billion won, citing accusations that Kim received luxury gifts such as Chanel handbags and a diamond necklace in return for political favors.

Kim denied all charges throughout the trial. Her legal team said it would review the court’s decision before determining whether to challenge the bribery conviction. During the hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, Kim appeared in a dark suit and face mask and remained silent as a three-judge panel delivered the verdict.

The Unification Church stated that the gifts were provided without any expectation of political benefits. Its leader, Han Hak-ja, who is also facing trial, denied directing anyone to bribe Kim. The Yoon, who was removed from office last April, is facing eight separate trials, including charges of insurrection related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. He has appealed a five-year prison sentence imposed earlier this month for obstructing efforts to arrest him.