South Korean courtroom extends jail sentence for spouse of ousted president : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6401x4268+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F14%2F92%2Fcc194144494d8415ac80ff0f8058%2Fap26118336613001.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6401x4268+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F14%2F92%2Fcc194144494d8415ac80ff0f8058%2Fap26118336613001.jpg" class="img" alt="An image of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee is seen during a rally by supporters outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The letters read "Not Guilty."" fetchpriority="high"/> A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his spouse Kim Keon Hee is seen throughout a rally by supporters outdoors of the Seoul Excessive Courtroom in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The letters learn "Not Responsible." Ahn Younger-joon/AP/AP cover caption

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Ahn Younger-joon/AP/AP SEOUL, South Korea — An appeals courtroom has elevated to 4 years the sentence for the spouse of South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol for corruption, weeks after her husband was sentenced to life in jail for rebel.

In January, ex-first girl Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to twenty months in jail in a district courtroom for receiving presents together with a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church, which sought political favors from the federal government. Nevertheless, she was acquitted of involvement in a inventory value manipulation scheme earlier than she grew to become first girl.

Each events appealed. On Tuesday, the Seoul Excessive Courtroom convicted her of receiving one other Chanel bag from the church and on the worth manipulation cost.

The couple suffered a fall from grace after Yoon's martial legislation imposition in December 2024 led to his impeachment and eventual removing from workplace. Yoon faces a slew of legal trials associated to his martial legislation debacle and different scandals. Investigators say Kim was not concerned in Yoon's martial legislation enforcement.

The Seoul Excessive Courtroom mentioned a primary girl, being closest to a president, represents the nation collectively together with her husband and has an enormous affect on him. It mentioned Kim failed to fulfill public expectations for her integrity and exploited her high-profile standing to get the presents from the Unification Church.

Kim's attorneys mentioned they will attraction the ruling to the Supreme Courtroom. Impartial counsel Min Joong-ki's staff earlier requested a 15-year time period. Kim's protection staff has argued Min's investigation was politically pushed.

Kim has been in jail since August, when the Seoul Central District Courtroom accepted a warrant to arrest her, citing the possibility she may destroy proof. When Yoon was in workplace, Kim was embroiled in scandals that harm her husband's approval score and supplied political ammunition to his rivals.

On Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon, a conservative, abruptly imposed martial legislation and despatched troops and law enforcement officials to the Nationwide Meeting, saying he aimed to get rid of "anti-state forces" and "shameless North Korea sympathizers." The martial legislation lasted six hours as he was compelled to elevate it after the meeting unanimously voted it down.

He has defended his motion, calling it a determined try to attract public assist for his struggle in opposition to the liberal opposition Democratic Social gathering that obstructed his agenda.

In February, the Seoul district courtroom discovered Yoon responsible of rebel for mobilizing army and police forces in an unlawful try and seize the meeting, arrest political opponents and set up unchecked energy for an indefinite interval.