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South Korean Court Sentences Former First Lady Kim Geon-hee to 1 Year and 8 Months

The split verdict covers a conviction over Unification Church gifts alongside acquittals on stock and some funding counts.

Overview

  • Seoul Central District Court on January 28 handed Kim Geon-hee a prison term of one year and eight months and ordered forfeiture of 12,815,000 won.
  • The conviction centers on accepting luxury items from the Unification Church and facilitating benefits tied to the group’s development project in Cambodia.
  • The court found her not guilty on capital markets charges linked to an auto importer’s stock manipulation case and on allegations involving free polling as political funds.
  • Prosecutors had sought a far harsher outcome, requesting 15 years in prison, a 20 billion won fine, and roughly 950 million won in additional forfeiture.
  • During trial, Kim acknowledged receiving two handbags through an acquaintance connected to the church but denied providing any favors in return.