Wife of ex-President Yoon of South Korea is imprisoned due to corruption charges
In a significant development, former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested on August 12, 2025, following an arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Central District Court.
The arrest marks a historical moment as Kim is the first former first lady in South Korea to be detained. Her detention coincides with that of her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is jailed separately on charges related to his attempt to impose martial law last year.
Kim Keon Hee is facing multiple charges, including bribery, involvement in stock manipulation, election meddling, and influence peddling. Specifically, she is accused of accepting expensive items such as two Chanel bags worth approximately 20 million won (about US$14,500) and a diamond necklace from a religious group, allegedly as bribes in exchange for favorable influence on their business interests.
Since her arrest, Kim Keon Hee has been held mostly in solitary confinement at the Seoul Southern Detention Center. However, she has attended questioning by a special counsel team three times, responding mainly with "I don't know" or "I don't remember".
The core charges revolve around corruption through bribery tied to stock fraud schemes and election interference, marking a major legal and political scandal in South Korea.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of former President Yoon Suk Yeol remain unknown, and no information has been provided about his current status.
References: 1. Yonhap News Agency 2. The Korea Herald 3. South China Morning Post
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