Case Explained: Ex-first lady sentenced to 20 months in prison for influence peddling tied to Unification Church – Legal Perspective

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on Wednesday after being convicted of influence peddling over luxury gifts she received from a figure linked to the Unification Church.

The verdict, which was broadcast live, comes after ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison in a separate case on Jan. 16, marking the first time in Korea’s history that both a former president and spouse have been convicted.

At a sentencing hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, judges ordered Kim to forfeit 12,875,000 won ($9,000). They also ordered the confiscation of a Graff diamond necklace that had been seized by the investigation team under special counsel Cho Eun-seok.

Kim had been indicted on three sets of charges — taking part in the Deutsch Motors stock price manipulation scheme between 2009 and 2012, receiving free opinion polls from political broker Myung Tae-gyun in violation of the Political Funds Act, and accepting high-priced gifts from Unification Church figures in return for peddling influence for its benefits. Of these, the court recognized only part of the influence-peddling charges related to luxury items she received in July 2022.

Prosecutors alleged that, through shaman Jeon Seong-bae, widely known as “Geonjin Beopsa,” Kim received an 8 million won Chanel bag from then–Unification Church world headquarters chief Yoon Young-ho in April 2022, followed in July by another Chanel bag worth 12 million won and a Graff diamond necklace valued at 62 million won. The court, however, ruled that only the Chanel bag and necklace provided in July constituted criminal proceeds, while the earlier April gift did not meet the legal threshold for crime.

During her call on July 15, 2022, Kim told Yoon, “As you have always done, if you could continue to support us,” and added that economic, cultural and other achievements “must not be damaged.” Judges concluded that the remarks showed that Kim recognized the Unification Church’s various projects required government-level backing and indicated she was prepared to use her influence to help secure such support.

But the court found her not guilty over the Chanel bag received in April 2022, saying that although Kim and Yoon exchanged thanks related to his help during the presidential election, their conversation amounted to customary expressions of gratitude rather than a concrete request and promise that would constitute a corrupt crime.

“The president is vested with powers of state affairs based on the Constitution, and the first lady, as the president’s spouse, can exert immense influence from the closest position and serves as a symbolic figure representing the nation together with the president,” Judge Woo In-sung said. “Nevertheless, the defendant failed to refuse and instead accepted expensive luxury items provided in connection with the Unification Church’s requests, and was preoccupied with adorning herself. The defendant misused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain.”

Wearing a mask, Kim listened to the verdict without looking directly at the bench and remained motionless as the sentence was read out. After the court announced the prison term and forfeiture order, she lowered her head, briefly conferred with her attorneys and then left the courtroom.

On the Deutsch Motors case, the court acquitted her, finding that some alleged acts of stock price manipulation were already barred by the statute of limitations and that, for the remaining parts, the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Kim had been accused of conspiring with former Deutsch Motors Chairman Kwon Oh-soo and former Black Pearl Invest CEO Lee Jong-ho, who managed her account, between October 2010 and December 2012 to engage in high-price purchases, sham bids and collusive trades, allegedly generating about 811 million won in unlawful profits.