A South Korean court has sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in prison for accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church. The court found her guilty of receiving a Chanel bag and a high-end Graff necklace from a Unification Church official who sought business favors in 2022. However, the court acquitted her of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and violating the Political Funds Act.
Kim and her husband, ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, are the first former presidential couple in South Korea to be imprisoned with criminal convictions. The court also ordered Kim to forfeit 12.8 million won ($9,000). Following the ruling, the special counsel team expressed plans to appeal the decision, citing difficulty in accepting the verdict. Kim’s lawyers noted that the prison term for receiving money and valuables was relatively high and mentioned considering their next steps, including a possible appeal.
The court stated that Kim misused her position to seek profit by accepting luxury goods associated with the Unification Church’s requests. It emphasized that she failed to reject the gifts and focused on her personal adornment. Kim faced charges related to receiving luxury gifts from a Unification Church official in exchange for business favors. She was also accused of conspiring to manipulate a company’s stock price and violating the Political Funds Act. Despite denying all charges, Kim has been in custody since August.
