South Korean ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee sentenced to 7 years for accepting luxury gifts as bribes

The verdict

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to seven years in prison on 26 June 2026 for accepting luxury gifts as bribes. The court also fined her 64.8 million won (about $42,000) and ordered confiscation of the items where possible. Kim, wearing a gray suit and a white face mask, bowed her head as the ruling was read.

Given the nature of the position, a president's spouse must exercise the highest degree of self-restraint and vigilance. Nevertheless, defendant Kim Keon Hee neglected that social responsibility and repeatedly accepted valuables by exploiting her influence as a means of brokering favours.

What she received

Prosecutors established that Kim received gifts worth at least 300 million won from several individuals seeking political or business favours. The items included a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond necklace, a Tiffany brooch, Graff earrings, a Dior handbag, a Vacheron Constantin watch valued at over $25,000, a gold turtle figurine, and a painting by artist Lee Ufan. Construction firm chairman Lee Bong-kwan gave jewellery worth 103 million won hoping to secure a government post for his son-in-law; a pastor gave a Dior bag and other gifts for access to officials; a robot-dog entrepreneur provided the watch to supply the presidential security team.

A growing list of convictions

Kim Keon Hee is already serving a four-year sentence imposed in April 2026 for stock manipulation and accepting bribes from the Unification Church. She has been in custody since her arrest in August 2025. Her lawyers announced they would appeal the latest conviction, arguing the judge exaggerated unfavourable evidence. The special prosecutor had sought seven and a half years.

Husband's political downfall

Kim's husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached and removed from office in April 2025 after his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. He was arrested in July 2025 and is serving a life sentence for insurrection and an additional 30-year term for ordering drone flights over Pyongyang, which prosecutors said were meant to provoke North Korea and justify the martial-law decree. The couple's legal troubles have marked a dramatic fall for a presidential family.

Reaction and next steps

Kim denied the charges, maintaining that the gifts were not bribes. Her defence will take the case to a higher court. The verdict further tarnishes the legacy of the Yoon administration, which was already engulfed in scandal over his authoritarian power grab. Meanwhile, liberal President Lee Jae Myung has authorised multiple investigations into the former government's actions.