South Korea’s former first lady sentenced to almost 2 years in Prison in bribery case

 Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced and jailed former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced on Wednesday to one year and eight months in prison for bribery, marking just one of three criminal trials she is currently facing. Both prosecutors and Kims legal team have the right to appeal the ruling. The court found Kim guilty of accepting bribes from the controversial religious group the Unification Church, including a Chanel handbag and a Graff diamond necklace. However, she was acquitted of charges related to stock manipulation and conspiring with her husband to receive free public opinion polls, with the court citing insufficient evidence and expired statutes of limitations. She was also cleared of receiving a second Chanel bag. Prosecutors had estimated the combined value of the alleged stocks, bribes, and opinion polls at 1.15 billion Korean won, approximately $813,000.  In delivering the verdict, Seoul District Court Judge Woo In-seong said Kim had misused her status as a means of pursuing profit, adding that she was unable to refuse the expensive luxury items provided in connection with special favor and appeared eager to possess and display them. At the same time, the judge noted that Kim did not solicit the gifts, did not convey any requests from the church to her husband, and is now self-reflecting on her actions.  The ruling represents another major blow to the former first couple, both of whom have consistently denied wrongdoing, although Kim has acknowledged receiving Chanel bags from the Unification Church.  Yoon Suk Yeol is currently on trial for insurrection following his brief declaration of martial law in 2024, along with several other charges. Kim, meanwhile, has been entangled in controversy for far longer, with allegations of stock manipulation linked to a car dealership dating back more than a decade.  She was arrested last August by a special counsel, with prosecutors seeking a 15-year prison sentence for the range of offenses considered by the court this week. Min Joong-ki, who led the special counsel investigation, previously said Kim had used her position as first lady to receive money and luxury goods and to influence personnel appointments and nominations.  The leader of the Unification Church, also known as the Moonies, is also standing trial over the bribery allegations.  Before entering the presidential spotlight, Kim worked in the art industry and founded her own exhibition agency. She married Yoon in 2012, when he was still a prosecutor and had not yet entered politics. As first lady, Kim maintained an unusually high public profile, often drawing attention for her fashion choices during overseas trips, a sharp contrast to the traditionally low-key role expected of South Korean first ladies.  Concerns about her conduct surfaced even before Yoon won office. In 2021, Kim apologized for exaggerating her rsum and pledged to focus solely on her role as a wife if her husband were elected. She later faced allegations of academic plagiarism, which led Sookmyung Womens University to revoke her masters degree, followed by the revocation of her PhD by Kookmin University.  For years, claims persisted that Kim manipulated stocks related to BMW dealership Deutsch Motors between 2010 and 2012. Public criticism intensified when Yoon, as president, vetoed legislation calling for a special investigation into his wife.  The scandal that proved most damaging involved a $2,200 Christian Dior handbag, unrelated to the Chanel items cited in Wednesdays sentencing. A secretly recorded video released in late 2023 showed a Korean-American pastor presenting Kim with the luxury bag in 2022, after Yoons election. While Kim appeared hesitant in the footage, she did not explicitly reject the gift.  South Koreas anti-graft laws prohibit public officials and their spouses from accepting gifts worth more than $750 in connection with official duties. The revelation triggered public outrage and sent Yoons approval ratings to historic lows. Kim subsequently withdrew almost entirely from public view.  The situation escalated dramatically when Yoon declared martial law in December 2023. Lawmakers swiftly overturned the decree, leading to his impeachment and removal from office. Special investigations soon followed, ensnaring Yoon, Kim, and senior officials from his administration, including the former prime minister, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison.  Earlier this month, Yoon himself received a five-year sentence for obstructing detention efforts and preventing Cabinet debate over the martial law decree. He still faces multiple additional trials, including charges of rebellion.  South Korea has seen several former presidents imprisoned, but this marks the first time a former presidential couple has been jailed simultaneously. The post South Koreas former first lady sentenced to almost 2 years in Prison in bribery case appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.