CRBC News
Politics
Conflict
Security
Economy
Science
Technology
Environment
Health
Culture
Society
Lifestyle
Politics

Prosecutors Seek 15-Year Term for Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee

07:01 PM, 12/03/2025
Prosecutors Seek 15-Year Term for Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee

Prosecutors have asked a court to sentence former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 15 years in prison and to levy a two billion won fine, accusing her of stock fraud, collusion with the Unification Church and election interference. Kim, 53, denies parts of the case and called the allegations "deeply unjust," while offering an apology for mistakes she said she made in office. The case comes amid broader political turmoil after her husband, ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law last year and was later arrested on insurrection charges. A sentencing hearing is set for January 28.

South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday asked a court to sentence former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 15 years in prison and impose a fine of two billion won (about $1.37 million), accusing her of stock fraud, collusion with a religious organisation and interfering in parliamentary elections.

Kim, 53, who was arrested in August, is under investigation for an alleged stock-manipulation scheme and for accepting gifts from the Unification Church — an organisation widely described in public discourse as a cult. Prosecutors say Kim’s actions effectively placed her "above the law" and that she colluded with the church in ways that blurred the constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state.

"This collapsed both the fairness of elections and the system of representative democracy that forms the foundation of national governance," prosecutors told the court.

Alongside the 15-year prison request, prosecutors asked the court to impose the two billion won fine. The allegations also include meddling in parliamentary elections, charges that prosecutors say undermined electoral fairness.

In her final testimony, Kim described the accusations as "deeply unjust," while also acknowledging shortcomings during her time as first lady. "Yet when I consider my role and the responsibilities entrusted to me, it seems clear that I have made many mistakes," she said, adding a public apology: "I sincerely apologise for the great discourtesy I have caused the public."

The hearing coincided with the one-year anniversary of a turbulent day in South Korean politics when Kim’s husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law in a short-lived attempt to suspend civilian rule. Yoon was arrested earlier this year on insurrection charges, which he denies. Observers noted that the arrests of both a former president and a former first lady mark an unprecedented moment in modern South Korean history.

The court is scheduled to hand down Kim’s sentence on January 28.

Similar Articles

Trending

Prosecutors Seek 15-Year Term for Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee - CRBC News