Top court issues additional arrest warrant for jailed ex-first lady

The Supreme Court issued a new arrest warrant for jailed former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Tuesday, extending her detention by two months over concerns she might flee or destroy evidence. The warrant was requested in her bribery-related case because the existing warrant in her corruption case expires Saturday before a final verdict. Kim is appealing four-year and five-year prison sentences in the two cases. She denied the bribery allegations during a virtual hearing.

Kim has been held at the Seoul Nambu Detention Center since August 2025 and attended the hearing by video call.

Her lawyers raised concerns about her health, including the mental toll of political attacks and prolonged use of psychiatric drugs.

The Criminal Procedure Act allows detention for two months at a time, with a maximum of six months in principle through two extensions.

The corruption case includes allegations of stock price manipulation, accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church and receiving free opinion poll results from a self-described power broker.

The bribery case concerns allegations that Kim accepted expensive gifts from multiple people in return for job appointments and business favors.

Published Oct 27, 2026 9:49 am KST

Updated Oct 27, 2026 7:59 pm KST

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Aug. 12, 2025, after attending a hearing to determine the validity of her arrest warrant. Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a new arrest warrant for jailed former first lady Kim Keon Hee to keep her in custody for two more months, citing the risk of fleeing and destroying evidence.

The decision comes after the top court convened a hearing for Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, earlier in the day to decide whether to extend her detention period set to expire Saturday.

The top court handed out the decision hours after the hearing, citing risk of flight and destruction of evidence.

Kim is currently standing trial at the Supreme Court in two separate cases — the first on corruption charges and the other on bribery-related charges.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team requested the new warrant based on the second case, as her existing warrant on corruption charges will expire before a final verdict.

Kim attended the hearing virtually from the Seoul Nambu Detention Center, where she has been held since August 2025. She reportedly dismissed the allegations of accepting bribes for mediation and pleaded her innocence during the video call.

Her lawyers are known to have voiced concerns over Kim's health, including the mental toll from political attacks and prolonged intake of psychiatric drugs.

Under the Criminal Procedure Act, a defendant is subject to two months of detention, with a maximum detention period of up to six months in principle, extended twice for up to two months each.

The hearing took place as the Supreme Court is currently reviewing Kim's sentences by appellate court benches — a four-year prison sentence in the corruption case and a five-year prison sentence in the bribery case.

The top court's proceedings for the first case have been drawn out after they were referred to its full bench in July.

The trial centers on charges that Kim was involved in a stock price manipulation scheme, accepted luxury gifts from the Unification Church and received free opinion poll results from a self-proclaimed power broker.

The second trial revolves around charges that Kim accepted expensive gifts from multiple people in return for job appointments and business favors.

最高法院周二签发了对被监禁的前第一夫人金建熙的新逮捕令，将其拘留期限延长两个月，理由是担心她可能潜逃或销毁证据。此次逮捕令是针对她涉嫌受贿一案提出的，因为她涉嫌腐败案的现有逮捕令将于周六到期，届时该案尚未宣判。金建熙正在就两起案件中分别被判处的四年和五年监禁提出上诉。她在一次线上听证会上否认了受贿指控。

金某自 2025 年 8 月起被关押在首尔南部拘留中心，并通过视频通话参加了听证会。

她的律师对她的健康状况表示担忧，包括政治攻击造成的精神创伤和长期服用精神药物。

《刑事诉讼法》允许一次拘留两个月，原则上最多可拘留六个月，并可延期两次。

该腐败案件包括操纵股价、接受统一教会的奢侈品礼物以及从一位自称权力掮客的人那里获得免费民意调查结果等指控。

这起贿赂案涉及金某被指控接受多人赠送的贵重礼物，以换取工作任命和商业利益。

发布于2026年10月27日上午9:49（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月27日晚上7:59（韩国标准时间）

2025年8月12日，前第一夫人金建熙在出席完关于其逮捕令有效性的听证会后离开位于首尔南部的首尔中央地方法院。韩国时报摄影师：高英权

最高法院周二签发了对被监禁的前第一夫人金建熙的新逮捕令，要求将其继续拘留两个月，理由是她有潜逃和销毁证据的风险。

此前，最高法院当天早些时候就前总统尹锡悦的妻子金某举行了听证会，以决定是否延长她将于周六到期的拘留期。

最高法院在听证会结束后数小时内作出裁决，理由是存在潜逃风险和销毁证据的情况。

金某目前在最高法院面临两起不同的案件审判——一起是腐败指控，另一起是受贿指控。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队根据第二起案件申请了新的逮捕令，因为她现有的腐败指控逮捕令将在最终判决前到期。

金某通过视频连线参加了听证会，她自2025年8月以来一直被关押在首尔南部拘留中心。据报道，她在视频通话中否认了收受贿赂进行调解的指控，并表示自己无罪。

据称，她的律师曾对金的健康状况表示担忧，包括政治攻击造成的精神创伤和长期服用精神药物。

根据《刑事诉讼法》，被告人将被拘留两个月，原则上最长拘留期限为六个月，可延长两次，每次最多两个月。

此次听证会举行之际，最高法院正在对金某的判决进行复审，该判决由上诉法院法官作出——金某因腐败案被判处四年监禁，因受贿案被判处五年监禁。

最高法院对第一起案件的审理程序在7月份提交全体法官审理后一直拖延至今。

审判的核心是指控金某参与操纵股价计划、接受统一教会的奢侈品礼物，以及从一位自称的权力掮客那里获得免费的民意调查结果。

第二起审判围绕着金某被指控接受多人赠送的贵重礼物，以换取工作任命和商业利益。