13th August 2025 – (Seoul) A South Korean court has approved the arrest of Kim Keon-hee, wife of impeached and jailed former President Yoon Suk-yeol, marking her as the first former first lady in the nation’s history to be detained on criminal charges.
Kim appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday for a five-hour hearing, during which prosecutors sought her arrest on various charges, including bribery, stock manipulation, and interference in the selection of a political candidate. Late that evening, the court issued an arrest warrant citing the risk of evidence tampering. She was subsequently transferred to a detention centre in southern Seoul, separate from the facility where her husband is being held.
The charges against Kim include allegations of receiving luxury gifts, such as a Van Cleef pendant worth 60 million won ($43,000), which she wore at a 2022 NATO summit. Prosecutors claim the pendant was a bribe from a domestic construction company, though Kim has denied the accusation, asserting it was a fake purchased in Hong Kong years earlier. Additional allegations involve two Chanel handbags, a diamond necklace, and other items allegedly received in exchange for business favours.
Her arrest follows ongoing investigations into corruption linked to Yoon’s presidency. Yoon, who was ousted in April and rearrested last month, faces charges of insurrection, abuse of power, and an alleged December 3 attempt to impose martial law. His actions, described as a poorly planned power grab, occurred amid rising allegations against Kim, which had damaged his approval ratings.
Investigators also suspect that Kim and Yoon influenced the nomination of a legislative candidate for the conservative People Power Party in 2022, allegedly facilitated by election broker Myung Tae-kyun. Myung is accused of manipulating survey data to benefit Yoon’s presidential primaries campaign.
Kim’s lawyers have consistently denied the allegations, dismissing reports of luxury gifts as unsubstantiated rumours. Before her arrest, Kim briefly addressed the media, apologising for causing public concern but maintaining her innocence.
The investigation into Kim is part of three special probes launched under South Korea’s new liberal administration led by President Lee Jae Myung. The simultaneous arrest of Kim and Yoon marks a historic low for any South Korean presidential couple, further extending the country’s troubled legacy of political scandals and corruption.