SEOUL — A South Korean court on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 20 months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting luxury gifts worth approximately 37 million won (about $27,000) from affiliates of the controversial Unification Church, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The Seoul Central District Court announced the verdict in a high-profile corruption case that has gripped South Korean politics for over two years. The court found Kim guilty of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Act) by accepting the gifts without legitimate justification. Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year prison term, alleging the gifts were part of a broader pattern of influence peddling, but the court acquitted her on the most serious charges.
Specifically, the court cleared Kim of allegations related to stock price manipulation involving the company Deutsch Motors and of violating the Political Funds Act. The 20-month sentence relates solely to the acceptance of luxury items—including a Dior handbag valued at around 3 million won and other high-end gifts—provided by individuals linked to the Unification Church (also known as the Moonies) during her time as first lady.
The gifts were allegedly given in exchange for access, influence, or favors related to government or political matters. The Unification Church has long been accused of exerting undue influence over South Korean politics, business, and society through its vast financial network and lobbying activities.
The ruling marks a significant legal setback for Kim Keon Hee, wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose administration collapsed following his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024. The former first lady has maintained her innocence throughout the investigation and trial, claiming the gifts were personal tokens of appreciation rather than bribes or improper solicitations.
The case is one of several ongoing legal proceedings involving the former presidential couple. Earlier in January 2026, the same court sentenced Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on charges of obstructing justice—specifically for allegedly ordering the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from executing a detention warrant at the Blue House (presidential residence) during the height of the martial law crisis.
Yoon faces a total of eight separate criminal trials, including the most serious charge of insurrection (leading an armed rebellion against the constitutional order) stemming from his December 3, 2024, martial law declaration. That case remains ongoing, with prosecutors alleging that Yoon mobilized military and police forces in an attempt to suppress political opposition and halt impeachment proceedings against him.
The conviction of Kim Keon Hee is the first final sentencing among the multiple cases tied to the Yoon administration’s downfall. Legal experts note that the 20-month prison term—while relatively short compared to the prosecution’s demand—carries significant symbolic weight, as it establishes guilt in a corruption matter involving the former first lady.
Kim Keon Hee has been barred from holding public office for a period following any final conviction under South Korean law. She may appeal the verdict to the Seoul High Court and, ultimately, the Supreme Court. If the sentence is upheld through all appeals, she would be required to serve the prison term unless granted parole or a presidential pardon (an option currently unavailable given Yoon’s own legal status).
The verdict has intensified political polarization in South Korea. Supporters of the former president and first lady have denounced the ruling as politically motivated “revenge” by the opposition-controlled judiciary, while critics and civic groups have hailed it as a step toward accountability and the rule of law.
Public opinion remains sharply divided, with recent polls showing roughly 45–50 percent of South Koreans believing the prosecutions are justified, while a similar proportion view them as excessive or biased.
The case continues to unfold amid ongoing investigations into other members of the Yoon administration, including former senior aides and military officers implicated in the martial law episode. South Korea’s Constitutional Court is also deliberating Yoon’s impeachment, which was passed by the National Assembly in December 2024 and remains pending final adjudication.
As South Korea navigates one of its most turbulent political periods in decades, the sentencing of Kim Keon Hee adds another layer of legal and political consequence to the downfall of the Yoon Suk Yeol presidency.
