Top court holds hearing on new arrest warrant for jailed ex-first lady
Summary
The Supreme Court held a hearing Tuesday in Seoul to decide whether to issue a new arrest warrant for jailed former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team sought the warrant in her bribery-related case because her existing warrant in a corruption case expires Saturday before a final verdict. Kim attended virtually from the Seoul Nambu Detention Center, and her lawyers argued she posed no risk of fleeing or destroying evidence. The court was expected to decide as early as later that day.
Key Facts
- Kim has been held at the Seoul Nambu Detention Center since August 2025.
- The Supreme Court is reviewing appellate sentences of four years in prison in the corruption case and five years in the bribery case.
- The corruption case involves allegations of stock price manipulation, luxury gifts from the Unification Church and free opinion poll results from a self-described power broker.
- The bribery case concerns allegations that Kim accepted expensive gifts from multiple people in return for job appointments and business favors.
- The Supreme Court referred proceedings in the corruption case to its full bench in July, prolonging the process.
Former first lady Kim Keon Hee leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Aug. 12, 2025, after attending a hearing to determine the validity of her arrest warrant. Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon
The Supreme Court convened a hearing Tuesday to decide whether to issue a new arrest warrant for jailed former first lady Kim Keon Hee to continue to keep her in custody.
The hearing took place at the top court after special counsel Min Joong-ki's team requested the warrant for Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Kim is currently standing trial at the Supreme Court in two separate cases — the first on corruption charges and the other on bribery-related charges.
Min's team requested the new warrant based on the second case, as her existing warrant on corruption charges will expire Saturday before a final verdict.
Kim attended the hearing virtually from the Seoul Nambu Detention Center, where she has been held since August 2025.
Her lawyers plan to oppose a new warrant by arguing that she poses no risk of fleeing or destroying evidence.
The top court is expected to make a decision on the warrant as early as later in the day.
The hearing takes place as the Supreme Court is currently reviewing Kim's sentences by appellate court benches — a four-year prison sentence in the corruption case and a five-year prison sentence in the bribery case.
The top court's proceedings for the first case have been drawn out after they were referred to its full bench in July.
The trial centers on charges that Kim was involved in a stock price manipulation scheme, accepted luxury gifts from the Unification Church and received free opinion poll results from a self-proclaimed power broker.
The second trial revolves around charges that Kim accepted expensive gifts from multiple people in return for job appointments and business favors.
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