Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Jailed 7 years over luxury gift bribery scandal

Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been sentenced to seven years in prison after a court found her guilty of accepting luxury gifts in exchange for using her influence to secure political appointments and business benefits.

The Seoul Central District Court delivered its ruling on Friday, concluding that Kim received expensive gifts, including jewellery, a luxury designer handbag, and other high-value items both during and after her tenure as first lady.

According to the court, Kim leveraged her position and influence to help individuals obtain government jobs and gain business advantages. Presiding Judge Cho Sun-pyo stated that she used her status as first lady to facilitate appointments and favours while willingly accepting valuable gifts in return.

In addition to the seven-year prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of 64.8 million won (approximately $42,000) and ordered the confiscation of all luxury items linked to the case.

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Kim has denied the allegations, maintaining that the gifts were not bribes. Her legal representatives have confirmed that they intend to appeal the verdict.

Court Details Luxury Gifts and Favours

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that a construction company owner allegedly gifted Kim jewellery worth more than 100 million won (about $64,750) in exchange for assistance in securing a government position for his son-in-law.

The court also determined that a pastor presented Kim with a Dior handbag and other luxury gifts while seeking favourable treatment related to public officials' duties.

Judges further found that a former prosecutor gifted her a painting by renowned South Korean artist Lee Ufan to support his political ambitions. In another instance, a former head of the National Education Commission reportedly presented Kim with a gold turtle ornament in return for an appointment to the position.

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Legal Troubles Continue for Former First Lady

The latest conviction adds to Kim's growing legal challenges. She is already serving a four-year prison sentence imposed in April after being convicted of stock manipulation and accepting bribes connected to South Korea's Unification Church.

Her husband, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, is also currently imprisoned. He is serving a life sentence after being convicted of sending military drones into North Korea and leading an insurrection. Prosecutors argued that the drone operation was intended to create grounds for declaring martial law in December 2024.

Yoon was removed from office in 2025 following impeachment proceedings.

While serving as president, Yoon vetoed three opposition-backed bills seeking investigations into allegations against Kim. Public scrutiny intensified in 2023 after a video surfaced that appeared to show the former first lady accepting a luxury handbag, triggering widespread controversy and calls for accountability.

The latest ruling marks another major development in one of South Korea's most high-profile political scandals in recent years.