A seismic shift in South Korean politics unfolded Wednesday when former First Lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to 20 months behind bars by Seoul’s Central District Court. Convicted for soliciting pricey luxuries from the Unification Church to aid its ventures, Kim joins her husband, ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, as the first such couple imprisoned for crimes.
The court pinpointed two incidents: a July 2022 exchange of a snail-motif handbag and Graf necklace for favors, deemed blatant position abuse. Kim’s failure to rebuff these amid church pleas for funds was highlighted as self-serving. An earlier April bag was ruled non-bribery sans explicit ask.
Special prosecutors pushed for 15 years, but the judge opted for leniency, clearing Kim of stock manipulation with Deutsche Motors executives—allegedly pocketing 810 million won unlawfully—and political funds breaches. Evidence suggested awareness but not partnership. Polls from influencers weren’t seen as economic perks.
Detained since August 2023, Kim maintains innocence. Yoon faces five years for his martial law gambit, with more cases looming. Authorities seized 12.8 million won.
The ruling drew sharp divides: prosecutors decry it as too soft and signal appeals, while defense calls the gift penalty harsh, mulling responses. Beyond the headlines, this trial peels back layers of influence peddling, luxury temptations, and faltering oversight in South Korea’s corridors of power, prompting soul-searching among voters and reformers alike.