Merchandise 1 of 5 A girl watches a TV broadcasting a information report on the sentencing trial of South Korean former first woman Kim Keon Hee in Seoul, South Korea, January 28, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) – A South Korean courtroom sentenced former first woman Kim Keon Hee to twenty months in jail on Wednesday for accepting Chanel baggage and a diamond pendant from Unification Church officers in return for offering political favours.
The spouse of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from workplace final 12 months, was cleared on different fees of inventory value manipulation and violating the political funds act. Prosecutors will enchantment in opposition to the not-guilty verdicts, media reviews stated.
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The ruling comes amid a collection of trials stemming from investigations into Yoon’s transient imposition of martial legislation in 2024 and associated scandals involving the once-powerful couple.
Kim had denied all the costs and her lawyer stated the workforce would evaluation the ruling by Seoul Central District Court docket and resolve whether or not to enchantment the bribery conviction.
The lead decide of the three-justice bench stated the place of first woman doesn’t include any formal energy permitting involvement in state affairs, however is a symbolic function representing the nation.
“An individual who was in such a place won’t all the time be a task mannequin, however the particular person should not be a nasty instance to the general public,” Woo In-sung stated within the ruling.
The courtroom fined her 12.8 million received ($8,990) and ordered the confiscation of the necklace. Kim has been detained since August whereas beneath investigation.
The defendant, sporting a darkish swimsuit and a face masks, was escorted into the courtroom by guards and sat quietly whereas the decision was delivered.
An announcement from Kim’s legal professionals stated she “humbly accepts the courtroom’s stern criticism” and is “sorry for inflicting public concern”.
Supporters of Yoon and Kim, who braved freezing temperatures exterior the courtroom compound, cheered after the not-guilty verdicts on two of the costs had been delivered.
The Unification Church stated it had not anticipated something in return for the items. Its chief, Han Hak-ja, who can be on trial, has denied that she was making an attempt to bribe Kim.
SHAMAN, POLITICAL BROKER
Kim had drawn intense public scrutiny even earlier than her husband was elected president in 2022 over questions on her educational report and lingering suspicion about inventory value manipulation.
Her alleged affiliation with a political dealer and an individual generally known as a shaman additionally drew public criticism that the 2 could also be unduly influencing the previous first couple.
Yoon, who was ousted from energy final April, faces eight trials on fees together with riot, after his failed bid to impose martial legislation in December 2024.
He has appealed in opposition to a five-year jail time period handed to him this month for obstructing makes an attempt to arrest him after his martial legislation decree.
Yoon has argued it was inside his powers as president to declare martial legislation and that the motion was geared toward sounding the alarm over the obstruction of presidency by opposition events.
($1=1,431.8000 received)
Reporting by Joyce Lee and Kyu-seok Shim; Writing by Jack Kim: Modifying by Ed Davies, Clarence Fernandez, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Neil Fullick
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