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A South Korean tribunal sentenced erstwhile archetypal woman Kim Keon Hee to 20 months successful situation for corruption connected Wednesday (January 28, 2026) up of the verdict for disgraced erstwhile President Yoon Suk Yeol implicit his martial instrumentality imposition a twelvemonth ago.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim for receiving bribes from the Unification Church successful instrumentality for concern favours.
The ruling comes astir 3 weeks earlier the tribunal delivers its verdict connected the rebellion complaint against Yoon. The autarkic counsel earlier demanded the decease condemnation for Yoon.
The tribunal cleared Kim, who is the woman of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol who was ousted from bureau past year, connected charges of banal terms manipulation and violating the governmental funds act.
The ruling, which tin beryllium appealed by the erstwhile archetypal lady oregon prosecutors, comes amid a bid of trials following investigations into Yoon’s little imposition of martial instrumentality successful 2024 and related scandals involving the once-powerful couple.
Prosecutors had demanded 15 years successful jailhouse and fines of 2.9 cardinal won ($2 million) implicit accusations that see accepting luxury Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from South Korea’s Unification Church successful instrumentality for governmental favours.
The tribunal recovered determination was not capable grounds to reason Kim was blameworthy of manipulating banal prices and violating governmental backing laws, by receiving sentiment polls from a powerfulness broker in instrumentality for influencing the prime of canvass candidates.
Kim had denied each the charges. Her lawyer said the squad would reappraisal the ruling and determine whether to entreaty the bribery conviction.
Kim walked into the courtroom astatine the Seoul Central District Court clad successful a acheronian suit and wearing a look mask, and sat softly arsenic the pb justice of a three-justice seat delivered the verdict.
The Unification Church said the gifts were delivered to her without expecting anything. Its person Han Hak-ja, who is besides connected trial, has denied that she directed it to bribe Kim.
With inputs from AP, Reuters
