South Korean court sentences former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to seven years for bribery

The Seoul Central District Court has sentenced former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee to an additional seven years in prison for accepting bribes. Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was found guilty of using her influence to trade political favors and job appointments for luxury goods. The court identified several items received as bribes, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Tiffany brooch, a Graff earring set, a Vacheron Constantin watch, a gold turtle, a Dior handbag, and a painting valued at 140 million won. These gifts were provided by various individuals, including a construction company owner, a pastor, and the CEO of a robotic dog company, seeking government positions or business contracts. This sentence follows a previous conviction for stock manipulation and corruption for which Kim was already serving time. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of 64.8 million won on the former first lady. The judge remarked that her actions significantly eroded public trust in the integrity of government appointments.