SEOUL, South Korea — The wife of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to seven years in prison Friday after a court convicted her of accepting luxury gifts from businesspeople and others seeking political and business favors.The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court came months after an appeals court sentenced the ex-first lady, Kim Keon Hee, to four years in prison in a separate case over charges that she accepted gifts from the Unification Church and profited from a stock price manipulation scheme."Given the nature of the position, a president's spouse must exercise the highest degree of self-restraint and vigilance," said Judge Jo Soon-pyo. "Nevertheless, defendant Kim Keon Hee neglected that social responsibility and repeatedly accepted valuables by exploiting her influence as a means of brokering favors."

Kim's conviction follows months of investigations into alleged corruption involving the former first lady and senior officials who served under her husband's administration.

South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon-hee bows as she arrives at a court to attend a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, August 12, 2025.…

South Korea's former First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been sentenced to seven years in prison for accepting bribes, including luxury jewellery, a designer handbag, and a valuable…