South Korea has reached an unprecedented political milestone — for the first time in its history, both a former president and a former first lady are behind bars.
Kim Keon Hee, wife of ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, was arrested on Tuesday after a Seoul court issued a detention warrant citing fears she might destroy evidence. The 52-year-old faces a sprawling list of charges, including stock manipulation, bribery, and election meddling.
Prosecutors allege that Kim made more than 800 million won ($577,940; £428,000) through a price-rigging scheme tied to Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea — a scandal that reportedly began before her husband’s presidency but dogged his administration for years.
The bribery charges centre on accusations that Kim accepted luxury gifts, including two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace, from the controversial Unification Church in exchange for business favours. She is also accused of interfering in candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and last year’s general elections.
During a four-hour court session, Kim denied all allegations, appearing solemn in a black suit and skirt. “I sincerely apologise for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance,” she told reporters.
Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in detention since January, awaiting trial over a failed martial law attempt in 2024 that threw the nation into chaos and ended his presidency. While in office, Yoon vetoed three opposition-led bills seeking a special counsel probe into allegations against Kim — the last veto coming just a week before he declared martial law.
The current president, Lee Jae Myung, approved the special counsel investigation in June, paving the way for this week’s arrest.
