South Korea ex-first lady handed 7 years in jobs-for-gifts case

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Seoul: South Korea ex-first lady handed 7 years in jobs-for-gifts case. A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to an additional seven years in prison for her involvement in a widespread jobs-for-gifts scandal.

The 53-year-old was found guilty of accepting high-value luxury goods in return for influencing personnel appointments. The court noted she accepted items that average citizens would struggle to acquire, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Tiffany brooch, and Graff earrings from a construction magnate.

Her collection of illicit gifts also included a gold turtle figurine worth 2.65 million won from a politician. Additionally, she accepted a Vacheron Constantin wristwatch valued at 39 million won from a ‘robot dog’ business entrepreneur.

Kim maintained her innocence, claiming that receiving gifts did not imply requests for favors. She is already serving a four-year sentence for separate stock manipulation and bribery charges. Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, also remains imprisoned following a disastrous 2024 martial law attempt.