South Korean court reduces former first lady’s sentence over luxury gifts and favors
A South Korean appeals court has reduced the prison sentence of the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol
SEOUL, South Korea -- A South Korean appeals court on Tuesday reduced the prison sentence of the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol from seven to five years, following her initial conviction of accepting luxury gifts from businesspeople and others seeking political and business favors.
The Seoul High Court threw out some of the corruption charges against Kim Keon Hee, including one involving a luxury watch from businessman Seo Seong-bin who allegedly sought government support for his robotic dogs business.
In June, the Seoul Central District Court found Kim guilty of accepting the watch, but the high court on Tuesday said the prosecutors had not sufficiently proved that the watch was provided in exchange for business favors. The court upheld most of her other convictions.
Kim’s legal team said in a statement they would appeal to the Supreme Court to get the remaining charges overturned, arguing that prosecutors had failed to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution would also appeal, according to Kim Han-soo, a member of an investigation team led by special prosecutor Min Joong-ki.
“It's difficult to accept that a first lady's acceptance of a watch worth tens of millions of won from a businessman with pending business matters does not constitute a crime,” he told reporters.
The latest ruling came after the high court — in a separate case in April — sentenced Kim Keon Hee to four years over charges that she accepted gifts from the Unification Church and profited from a stock price manipulation scheme.
She has separately appealed that sentence.
Among Kim’s convictions upheld on Tuesday was one for receiving a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and other jewelry items worth more than 100 million won ($73,500) in all in 2022 from Seohee Construction Chairman Lee Bong-kwan in exchange for securing a government post for Lee’s son-in-law.
Kim was also convicted of accepting a Dior handbag and other gifts from Pastor Choi Jae-yong, who sought to join a civilian diplomatic delegation and other government-funded programs; a gold turtle from former National Education Commission chief Lee Bae-yong, who had lobbied for that job; and a 140 million won ($102,900) painting by famed artist Lee Ufan from former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min, who sought a nomination by Yoon’s conservative party for the 2024 legislative elections.
Yoon was removed from office in April 2025, months after he was impeached over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 following a standoff with the liberal opposition. Arrested in July 2025, the former conservative leader is standing trial in multiple cases and has appealed a life sentence for rebellion.
Liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who won an early presidential election last year to replace Yoon, has authorized multiple investigations by special prosecutors into Yoon’s martial law imposition and other allegations involving his government and wife.
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