SEOUL, South Korea — Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to four years in prison by an appeals court on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, after being found guilty of stock manipulation and accepting luxury gifts in exchange for influence.
The ruling by the Seoul High Court increased an earlier sentence of 20 months and reversed parts of a lower court decision that had cleared her of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme.
Judges said Kim participated in manipulating the price of a lightly traded stock alongside other traders.
The court also found that she accepted two Chanel handbags and a Graff necklace, valued at about 80 million won, from the Unification Church while aware that the group expected political favours.
“Kim exerted her influence as first lady and committed the bribery,” the presiding judge said.
“She damaged public trust in government transparency and caused a rift in public opinion over national affairs.”
The court imposed a fine of tens of millions of won and ordered the confiscation of the necklace.
Partial Acquittals Upheld
The appeals court upheld the earlier acquittal on charges related to election law violations, including allegations that Kim had improperly supported a candidate in a 2022 by-election.
It also maintained the finding that she was not guilty of receiving opinion poll data unlawfully, concluding that such information had been shared with multiple individuals.
Case Background
Kim, the wife of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in detention since August and has denied all charges.
Her legal team said she would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Prosecutors had sought a significantly longer sentence, alleging that she had manipulated shares in Deutsch Motors between 2010 and 2012 and profited from the activity, while also accepting gifts linked to requests for business-related favours.
Wider Political Context
The case forms part of a broader series of investigations linked to controversies during Yoon’s presidency, including his brief declaration of martial law in 2024.
Yoon was removed from office in April and later sentenced to life in prison in February for his role in an insurrection tied to that decision.
Several former officials in his administration have also faced trial, including former prime minister Han Duck-soo, who received a prison sentence.
The appeals court decision marks a significant development in the legal proceedings involving figures associated with the former administration.
