Former First Lady Kim Arrested in South Korea Bribery Case
South Korea’s Former First Lady Kim Jailed Amid Bribery and Fraud Probe
SEOUL — Former South Korean first lady Kim has been taken into custody, becoming the nation’s first ex-presidential spouse to be arrested. She now joins her husband, ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, in detention as he faces trial on insurrection charges following his removal from office in April.
Kim appeared in court earlier Tuesday dressed in a black suit, bowing briefly to reporters but refusing to answer questions. After the hearing, she was escorted to a detention center in Seoul to await the ruling — a standard procedure in such cases.
The special prosecutor’s office confirmed that a detention warrant had been issued but declined to give further details. Kim faces a range of serious charges, including stock fraud, bribery, and influence peddling. Prosecutors allege she accepted lavish gifts from business and religious figures in exchange for political favors.
Among the allegations, Kim is accused of wearing a luxury Van Cleef & Arpels pendant — reportedly worth over 60 million won ($43,000) — during a NATO summit in 2022 without declaring it in the couple’s mandatory financial disclosures. Prosecutors claim the pendant was gifted by a local construction company, while Kim maintains it was a fake bought decades ago in Hong Kong.
She is also accused of accepting two Chanel handbags valued at 20 million won and a diamond necklace from a religious group seeking favorable treatment for its business ventures.
Prosecutors argued for her arrest because she might destroy evidence or obstruct the investigation — a stance the court accepted. Kim’s legal team has previously rejected the accusations, calling reports about the alleged gifts “groundless speculation.”
Meanwhile, Yoon faces trial for insurrection, a charge that could carry life imprisonment or even the death penalty. He has denied all wrongdoing and has refused to attend court hearings or cooperate with prosecutors.
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