South Korea: Former First Lady sentenced to jail for bribery
A South Korean court has sentenced Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, to 20 months in prison for corruption.
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South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee
South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon HeeImage: Jung Yeon-je/AP Photo/picture alliance
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A court in South Korea on Wednesday ordered former first lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months imprisonment.
Judge Woo In-sung of the Seoul Central District Court said Kim was found guilty of accepting bribes from Unification Church officials in return for political favours.
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What were the allegations against South Korea’s First Lady?
The court’s ruling came as a surprise as prosecutors had initially demanded 15 years of imprisonment and fines of 2.9 billion won ($2 million) over accusations that include accepting luxury Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from South Korea’s Unification Church.
The court, however, acquitted Kim on charges of stock price manipulation and of violating laws surrounding political funding, citing a lack of evidence.
In December, prosecutors had alleged that Kim “stood above the law” and colluded with the Unification Church and had violated “the constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state”.
The Unification Church said the gifts were given to Kim, with nothing received in exchange. Its leader, Han Hak-ja, who is also on trial, has denied that those gifts were a bribe to Kim.
Meanwhile, Kim has also denied all the charges against her. Her legal counsel said they would review the ruling and decide whether to appeal the bribery conviction.
