South Korean court increases ex-first lady’s graft sentence to 4 years

An appeals court in South Korea on Tuesday increased the sentence for the country’s former first lady from 20 months to four years in prison on corruption charges, the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported.

The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence after finding Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, guilty of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church, according to the news agency.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team had sought a 15-year prison term for her.

Yoon was removed from office last year after being found guilty over the imposition of martial law in Dec. 2024.

Multiple cases have been filed against him, and he is currently serving a life sentence in connection with the martial law ruling.