A South Korean court has jailed the former first lady for seven years for corruption Court Affairs

Kim Keon Hee was convicted of accepting bribes that included luxury items for political revenge.

South Korean ex-wife Kim Keon Hee has been sentenced to seven years in prison for accepting bribes during and after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency.

Kim was found guilty of accepting jewelry, an expensive handbag and other luxury items in exchange for political favors by the Seoul High Court on Friday.

“She used her power as first lady to provide jobs and business favors,” said chief justice Cho Sun-pyo, adding that she accepted the bribes “without hesitation”.

Kim was fined 64.8 million won ($42,000) and the court ordered the confiscation of his assets.

He denied the charges, saying the gifts were not bribes and his lawyers said they would appeal.

The court found that he received jewelry worth 100 million won ($64,750) from the owner of a construction company in order to give his son-in-law a job in the government. A pastor also gave her a Dior bag and other gifts for favors related to her official duties, Korean newspaper JoongAng Daily reported.

To support his bid for office, the former prosecutor gave him a painting by famous artist Lee Ufan and the former head of the National Education Commission gave him a gold medal in exchange for being appointed to the post, the court found.

Previous prison sentences

The former first lady is already in prison after being sentenced in April to four years for tampering with property and taking bribes from the South Korean Unification Church.

Her husband Yoon is also in prison, life imprisonment by sending military drones to North Korea, which prosecutors said was intended to create a pretext for declaring military security in December 2024, and to launch terrorist attacks.

He was removed from office in 2025 after impeachment.

As president, he vetoed three impeachment bills to investigate Kim’s allegations against him, after a video appeared to show him receiving the top prize in 2023.