South Korea’s former first lady arrested after court issues warrant
3 Min Read
Kim Keon Hee, wife of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested in Seoul on charges of stock manipulation, illegal political funding, and bribery.
-
South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, center, wife of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review her arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors, in Seoul, South Korea, on August 12, 2025. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)
South Korea’s former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, the wife of impeached ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested on multiple corruption charges, according to the special prosecutor leading a wide-ranging investigation.
Her arrest, authorized by Seoul’s central district court, marks an unprecedented event in South Korean politics, with both the former president and first lady now in custody. The court approved the warrant, citing concerns over possible evidence tampering, Yonhap News reported.
Kim faces charges including violations of capital market and financial investment laws, as well as political funds laws. Prosecutors allege she manipulated stock prices of Deutsch Motors, a local BMW dealership, between 2009 and 2012, allegedly earning over 800 million won (approximately $580,000) by conspiring with others to artificially inflate shares.
In addition, she is accused of receiving over 270 million won ($196,000) in unlawful political contributions through complimentary opinion polling services, which were allegedly used to influence candidate selections in the conservative People Power party’s 2022 byelections.
A third charge involves accepting luxury gifts, including Chanel handbags and high-end jewellery, from the Unification Church via a shaman intermediary, reportedly in exchange for favorable treatment of development projects in Cambodia.
Kim denies allegations in court appearance
Kim, who was questioned for more than seven hours last week before the warrant was sought, denies all charges. During her court appearance, which lasted four and a half hours, she reportedly expressed frustration over scrutiny of her personal history.
"I’m upset that even issues from before my marriage keep being brought up," she told the judge, according to court accounts.
Judge Jeong Jae-wook cited the risk of evidence destruction as the main reason for her detention. She is currently held at Nambu detention center in south-western Seoul, while her husband, detained since July over a separate investigation into an alleged attempt to impose martial law, remains in custody at Seoul detention center.
The investigation into Kim was launched under a special counsel appointed after President Lee Jae Myung took office in June. Though 16 allegations were originally on file, the arrest warrant focused on three key charges.
Kim, formerly an executive in the arts exhibition industry, was a controversial figure during her husband’s presidency, frequently accused of exerting behind-the-scenes influence. She was previously involved in the high-profile Dior bag scandal, which prosecutors are now re-investigating.
Additionally, in recent weeks, her academic credibility came under further scrutiny, with both her master’s and doctoral degrees revoked due to findings of thesis plagiarism.
