South Korean appellate court to rule on former first lady Kim Keon Hee's bribery case

SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court was set to rule Tuesday on former first lady Kim Keon Hee's charges of taking expensive gifts in return for job appointments and other favors.

The Seoul High Court was scheduled to hand down its ruling at 2 p.m. after a lower court sentenced Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, to seven years in prison in June after finding her guilty of accepting bribes for mediation.

A special counsel team indicted Kim on charges of receiving jewelry worth a total of over 100 million won (US$72,800) from a construction company chairman between March and May 2022 in exchange for a government job for his son-in-law.

She was also charged with receiving a golden turtle ornament in April 2022 from Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission, in return for her appointment; a Dior bag from a pastor the same year; and a Vacheron Constantin watch from another businessperson in September 2022.

She was additionally accused of receiving a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan from a former prosecutor in February 2023 in exchange for her help in securing him a nomination for an election.

In total, she was charged with taking approximately 300 million won worth of gifts, and the lower court found her guilty on all counts.

Kim appealed the ruling, claiming her innocence. The special counsel team has requested the appellate court to uphold her seven-year sentence.