South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee receives prison sentence

On Jan. 28, the Seoul Central District Court in South Korea sentenced the country’s former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, to one year and eight months in prison on charges of receiving lavish gifts from the controversial religious group Unification Church in exchange for favors, Yonhap reported.

The ruling also included the forfeiture of roughly $9,000. The prosecutor’s team had sought a 15-year prison term, but the court acquitted the former first lady of charges related to a stock price manipulation scheme and violations of the Political Funds Act, including allegations that Kim and her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, had received free opinion poll services from a political broker before the 2022 presidential election.

According to Yonhap, the special prosecutor’s team is set to appeal, while the defense said it would review possible subsequent steps, including an appeal.

Previously, South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges that included obstructing investigators’ attempts to detain him.