A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his spouse Kim Keon Hee is seen throughout a rally by supporters exterior of the Seoul Excessive Court docket in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The letters learn “Not Responsible.”
Ahn Younger-joon/AP/AP
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Ahn Younger-joon/AP/AP
SEOUL, South Korea — An appeals court docket has elevated to 4 years the sentence for the spouse of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol for corruption, weeks after her husband was sentenced to life in jail for insurrection.
In January, ex-first woman Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to twenty months in jail in a district court docket for receiving presents together with a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church, which sought political favors from the federal government. Nevertheless, she was acquitted of involvement in a inventory worth manipulation scheme earlier than she turned first woman.
Each events appealed. On Tuesday, the Seoul Excessive Court docket convicted her of receiving one other Chanel bag from the church and on the worth manipulation cost.
The couple suffered a fall from grace after Yoon’s martial regulation imposition in December 2024 led to his impeachment and eventual removing from workplace. Yoon faces a slew of legal trials associated to his martial regulation debacle and different scandals. Investigators say Kim was not concerned in Yoon’s martial regulation enforcement.
The Seoul Excessive Court docket stated a primary woman, being closest to a president, represents the nation collectively along with her husband and has a giant affect on him. It stated Kim failed to satisfy public expectations for her integrity and exploited her high-profile standing to get the presents from the Unification Church.
Kim’s attorneys stated they will enchantment the ruling to the Supreme Court docket. Impartial counsel Min Joong-ki’s staff earlier requested a 15-year time period. Kim’s protection staff has argued Min’s investigation was politically pushed.
Kim has been in jail since August, when the Seoul Central District Court docket accredited a warrant to arrest her, citing the prospect she may destroy proof. When Yoon was in workplace, Kim was embroiled in scandals that damage her husband’s approval score and offered political ammunition to his rivals.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon, a conservative, abruptly imposed martial regulation and despatched troops and law enforcement officials to the Nationwide Meeting, saying he aimed to remove “anti-state forces” and “shameless North Korea sympathizers.” The martial regulation lasted six hours as he was compelled to raise it after the meeting unanimously voted it down.
He has defended his motion, calling it a determined try to attract public help for his struggle towards the liberal opposition Democratic Get together that obstructed his agenda.
In February, the Seoul district court docket discovered Yoon responsible of insurrection for mobilizing army and police forces in an unlawful try and seize the meeting, arrest political opponents and set up unchecked energy for an indefinite interval.
