South Korea's ex-first lady sentenced to prison for bribery

Seoul: A court in South Korea on Wednesday ordered former first lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months imprisonment.

Judge Woo In-sung of the Seoul Central District Court said Kim was found guilty of accepting bribes from Unification Church officials in return for political favours.

The court's ruling came as a surprise, after prosecutors had initially demanded 15 years of imprisonment and fines of 2.9 billion won ($2 million) over accusations that include accepting luxury Chanel ‍bags and a diamond necklace from South Korea's Unification Church.

The court, however, acquitted Kim on charges of stock price manipulation and of violating laws surrounding political funding, citing a lack of evidence.

In December, prosecutors had alleged that Kim "stood above the law" and colluded with the Unification Church and had violated "the constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state".

The Unification Church said the gifts were given to Kim, with nothing received in exchange. Its leader, Han Hak-ja, who is also on ⁠trial, has denied that ​those gifts were a bribe to Kim.

Meanwhile, Kim has also denied all the charges against her. Her legal counsel said they would review the ruling and decide whether to appeal the bribery conviction.

First presidential couple in jail
Kim's conviction comes after her husband, ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, was jailed over actions linked to his 2024 martial law declaration.

Both are now in custody — Yoon for his declaration of martial law in December 2024, and Kim for allegations of bribery, making them the first former presidential couple to be jailed at the same time in South Korea.

Yoon is himself facing eight trials and has appealed against a five-year jail term handed to him this month for hindering attempts to arrest him after his martial law decree.

In a related case, former top opposition lawmaker Kweon Seong Dong was sentenced to two years in prison for accepting bribes from the Unification Church, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

Kweon had been accused of receiving 100 million won ($70,000) from the cult-like organization.

Prosecutors had called for four years for the ally of disgraced former President Yoon.

Kweon had served as the conservative People Power Party's floor leader during the tumultuous period triggered by Yoon's declaration of martial law.