(3rd LD) Appellate court reduces ex-first lady's sentence to 5 yrs in bribery trial

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SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Tuesday reduced former first lady Kim Keon Hee's sentence to five years in prison during her bribery trial on charges of taking expensive gifts in return for job appointments.

The Seoul High Court partially overturned a lower court's seven-year sentence for Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, acquitting her of some of the charges brought by special counsel Min Joong-ki.

Kim's legal team called the partial acquittal "meaningful" but indicated it would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The special counsel team said it would review the ruling before taking it to the top court.

This file photo, provided by the Seoul Central District Court on April 13, 2026, shows former first lady Kim Keon Hee attending former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae's insurrection trial as a witness at the court in southern Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Min's team earlier indicted Kim on charges of receiving jewelry worth a total of over 100 million won (US$72,800) from a construction company chairman between March and May 2022 in exchange for a government job for his son-in-law.

Yoon, Kim's husband, took office in May 2022 following his presidential election victory in March that year.

She was also charged with receiving a golden turtle ornament and a replica of a Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) painting from Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission in April 2022, in return for her appointment; a Dior bag from a pastor the same year; and a Vacheron Constantin watch from another businessperson in September 2022.

She was additionally accused of receiving a painting by renowned artist Lee Ufan from a former prosecutor in February 2023 in exchange for her help in securing him a nomination for an election.

While the lower court convicted her on all counts in June, the appellate court acquitted her of charges of receiving the luxury watch and the replica painting.

The appeals court found her guilty for the rest of the charges, ordering the confiscation of the Lee Ufan painting and other gifts, and forfeiture of 24.4 million won. The lower court had ordered Kim to forfeit 64.8 million won.

"The influence of the president's spouse was reduced to a subject of private transactions, while the transparency and fairness of state affairs as well as the public's trust in state policies and personnel appointments were severely damaged," the court said.

It reprimanded Kim for "repeatedly" accepting valuables even though she should have been "fully aware" the gift givers expected her to exercise her influence as the president's spouse.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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(3rd LD) Appellate court reduces ex-first lady's sentence to 5 yrs in bribery trial

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首尔，9月22日（韩联社）——周二，一家上诉法院将前第一夫人金建熙受贿案的刑期减至五年监禁。金建熙被控收受贵重礼物以换取工作任命。

首尔高等法院部分推翻了下级法院对前总统尹锡烈的妻子金某判处的七年有期徒刑，宣告她无罪释放特别检察官闵仲基提出的部分指控。

金正恩的法律团队称部分无罪判决“意义重大”，但表示将向最高法院提起上诉。特别检察官团队则表示，将在向最高法院提起上诉前先对该判决进行审查。

这张由首尔中央地方法院于2026年4月13日提供的资料照片显示，韩国前第一夫人金建熙作为证人出席了前法务部长官朴成宰的暴动案庭审。（照片不得出售）（韩联社）

闵的团队此前指控金某在 2022 年 3 月至 5 月期间，从一家建筑公司董事长处收受价值超过 1 亿韩元（72,800 美元）的珠宝，以换取其女婿的政府工作。

金正恩的丈夫尹锡悦在2022年3月赢得总统选举后，于同年5月就职。

她还被指控于 2022 年 4 月从前国家教育委员会委员长李培镕处收受金龟饰品和朝鲜王朝（1392-1910 年）绘画复制品，作为其任命的回报；同年从一位牧师处收受迪奥包；并于 2022 年 9 月从另一位商人处收受江诗丹顿手表。

她还被指控于 2023 年 2 月从一名前检察官那里收受著名艺术家李禹焕的一幅画作，以换取她帮助该检察官获得选举提名。

虽然下级法院在 6 月份判处她所有罪名成立，但上诉法院宣告她无罪，不构成收受名贵手表和复制画作的罪名。

上诉法院认定她其余罪名成立，判令没收李禹焕的画作及其他礼物，并没收2440万韩元。下级法院此前判令金某没收6480万韩元。

法院表示：“总统配偶的影响力被简化为私人交易的范畴，而国家事务的透明度和公平性以及公众对国家政策和人事任命的信任则受到了严重损害。”

报告谴责金正恩“屡次”接受贵重物品，尽管她“完全清楚”送礼者希望她能利用自己作为总统配偶的影响力。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

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（第三巡回上诉法院）上诉法院将前第一夫人受贿案的刑期减至5年