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South Korea court cuts ex-First Lady Kim Keon Hee's prison term to five years, Yonhap says

The court upheld most bribery convictions but threw out some charges, and prosecutors said they would appeal the reduced sentence.

  • On Tuesday, a South Korean appeals court reduced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee's prison sentence to five years from seven, upholding most bribery convictions related to receiving gifts during her husband's presidency.
  • The Seoul Central District Court originally sentenced Kim, wife of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, to seven years in June for accepting luxury items in exchange for political favors and government appointments.
  • Convictions upheld include receiving a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worth $73,500 and a 140 million won painting by Lee Ufan, alongside a Dior handbag and gold turtle from individuals seeking government programs.
  • Judges threw out a charge regarding a luxury watch from businessman Seo Seong-bin, citing insufficient proof of bribery, though both prosecutors and Kim's legal team plan to appeal to the Supreme Court.
  • Kim faces a separate four-year sentence from an April ruling involving the Unification Church and stock manipulation, while former President Yoon Suk Yeol is serving a life sentence for his 2024 martial law declaration.
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27 Articles

The Toronto StarThe Toronto Star
+8 Reposted by 8 other sources
Lean Left

A South Korean appeals court reduces former first lady’s sentence over luxury gifts and favors

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean appeals court on Tuesday reduced the prison sentence of the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol from seven to five years, following her initial conviction of accepting luxury gifts from businesspeople…

·Toronto, Canada
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Lean Left

The prison sentence has been reduced from seven to five years.

·Copenhagen, Denmark
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Left

Mrs. Kim Kun-hee was sentenced to 5 years in prison in an appeal in the so-called “concession magic” case where she was charged with receiving money close to 300 million won along with various solicitations using her position as the president's wife. Unlike the first trial, which found Mrs. Kim guilty of all charges, the allegation of receiving a luxury watch along with a request related to the robot dog business

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Lean Right

The Court of Appeal in South Korea reduced the prison sentence for former First Lady Kim Gun Hee from seven to five years in a corruption case, and the Court of Second Instance reduced the sentence of Kim Gun Hee, who had been found guilty of receiving valuable gifts in exchange for assistance in obtaining public office, wrote TASS with reference to the South Korean agency Ryonghap. In June, the Court of First Instance sentenced the wife of form…

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The Korea Times broke the news in Seoul, Korea (the Republic of) on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
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