South Korea’s political scene has been rocked once again following the conviction of former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who was sentenced to four years in prison by an appeals court on Tuesday. The ruling represents a significant increase from an earlier judgment and has intensified scrutiny surrounding the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The appeals court not only lengthened her sentence but also overturned part of a lower court’s decision, finding her guilty of involvement in stock manipulation alongside several traders. Judges concluded that she directly influenced the price of a lightly traded stock—reversing her earlier acquittal on that charge.
In addition, the court upheld bribery charges, stating that she accepted luxury gifts, including two Chanel handbags and a Graff necklace worth about 80 million won ($54,257), from the Unification Church. The court ruled that she was aware the group expected political favors in return, particularly concerning its overseas business interests.
