What is Kim Keon Hee accused of in the jobs-for-gifts bribery case?

She is accused of taking expensive gifts in return for job appointments and other favors. The indictment includes jewelry worth more than 100 million won, a golden turtle ornament, a Dior bag, a Vacheron Constantin watch, and a painting by Lee Ufan.

Why did Kim Keon Hee appeal the lower court ruling?

Kim appealed the June ruling and claimed innocence. The lower court had found her guilty on all counts of accepting bribes for mediation, while the special counsel asked the appellate court to keep the seven-year sentence.

What did the prosecution seek from the Seoul High Court in Kim Keon Hee's case?

The special counsel team asked the appellate court to uphold Kim’s seven-year prison sentence. The hearing was part of her appeal after the lower court found her guilty and imposed the prison term in June.

Appellate court set to rule on ex-first lady's jobs-for-gifts bribery case

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Summary

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee was set to face a Seoul High Court ruling Tuesday on charges of taking expensive gifts in return for job appointments and other favors. A lower court sentenced her to seven years in prison in June after finding her guilty of accepting bribes for mediation. She appealed, claiming innocence, while the special counsel sought to uphold the sentence.

Key Facts

The Seoul High Court was scheduled to announce its ruling at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
A lower court sentenced Kim to seven years in prison in June.
She was charged with receiving jewelry worth more than 100 million won from a construction company chairman between March and May 2022 in exchange for a government job for his son-in-law.
She was also accused of receiving a golden turtle ornament, a Dior bag, a Vacheron Constantin watch, and a painting by Lee Ufan in exchange for favors or help with an election nomination.
The special counsel said Kim was charged with taking about 300 million won worth of gifts in total and asked the appellate court to uphold the seven-year sentence.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 22, 2026 9:21 am KST

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee enters a courtroom at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Wednesday, to attend her first trial on bribery and stock manipulation charges. Joint Press Corps

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 ($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.

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