The wife of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 20 months in prison for corruption.
According to France24, the former first lady was sentenced to jail on Wednesday, January 28, as her husband awaits a verdict on high-stakes rebellion charges that could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The presidential couple suffered a spectacular fall from grace after Yoon’s martial law debacle in December 2024 led to his impeachment and eventually his removal from office.
They have been jailed separately for months prior to facing criminal trials, Yoon over his martial law imposition in December 2024 and other allegations and Kim over corruption charges. Investigators say Kim wasn’t involved in Yoon's martial law enforcement.
The court said, “Staying close to a president, a first lady can exert significant influence on him and is a symbolic figure who represents the country together with a president. But the defendant exploited her position to seek personal gains.”
The ruling was still a surprise after independent counsel Min Joong-ki called for a 15-year prison term for Kim on the charges involving bribery, stock price manipulation and political funding law violations.
The court acquitted Kim of charges of stock price manipulation and political funding law violations, citing a lack of evidence and other reasons.
