South Korea has entered uncharted territory as, for the first time in the nation’s modern history, both a former president and his spouse find themselves behind bars. The dramatic developments unfolded on August 13, 2025, when Kim Keon Hee, the 52-year-old wife of impeached and jailed ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, was arrested on a sweeping array of graft charges, including bribery, stock manipulation, and illegal influence peddling. According to The Independent, the Seoul Central District Court granted the special prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant close to midnight, citing a risk that Kim might destroy evidence or interfere with the ongoing investigation.
Kim’s arrest is the latest chapter in a saga that has rocked South Korean politics and captivated the public. Prosecutors allege that Kim broke the law in multiple ways, from accepting luxury goods as bribes to manipulating stock prices for personal gain. Among the most eye-catching accusations: Kim allegedly wore a Van Cleef and Arpels pendant, valued at more than 60 million won (roughly £32,100), while attending a NATO summit in 2022. Kim, however, told prosecutors the pendant was a fake, purchased two decades ago in Hong Kong.
The charges don’t end there. According to The Taipei Times, Kim is accused of receiving two Chanel bags worth 20 million won (£10,700) and a diamond necklace from a religious group seeking favorable treatment for its business interests. Prosecutors also claim she pocketed over 800 million won (£428,000) through a price-rigging scheme involving the stocks of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealership. These allegations, if proven, could see Kim facing years behind bars.
The investigation has been led by special prosecutor Min Joong-ki, appointed in June 2025 by President Lee Jae Myung, whose administration came to power after Yoon’s dramatic ouster. Kim was questioned for about seven hours on August 6, 2025, before authorities moved to seek her arrest. As she arrived for questioning, Kim offered a brief, somewhat cryptic apology to reporters, saying, “I sincerely apologize for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance.” She has consistently denied the allegations, describing herself as “someone insignificant.”
But the legal troubles for the former first lady extend beyond personal enrichment. Prosecutors are also investigating her alleged interference in the nomination process for lawmakers in the conservative People Power Party, the party formerly led by her husband. According to The Taipei Times, investigators suspect that Kim and Yoon used their influence to secure the nomination of a particular candidate in a 2022 legislative by-election, at the behest of election broker Myung Tae-kyun. Myung, in turn, faces accusations of manipulating opinion surveys to help Yoon win the party’s presidential primaries.
On August 13, 2025, prosecutors raided the headquarters of the People Power Party as part of their election meddling probe. The party, which Yoon quit in May following his removal from office, has become a focal point in the investigation. The raid drew sharp criticism from opposition figures. Song Eon-seok, the party’s floor leader, told YTN radio, “I would like to express that I hope the special prosecutor’s investigation proceeds normally and fairly in accordance with the law and regulations.” Yet, at a news conference, opposition leader Song Eon-seog went further, blasting the raid as “nothing short of gangster behavior” and accusing President Lee Jae-myung’s administration of “ruthless political persecution and retaliation against the opposition, spearheaded by the special prosecution.”
The arrest of Kim Keon Hee caps a stunning fall from grace for the former first couple. Yoon Suk Yeol, once a top prosecutor himself, was impeached and removed from office in April 2025 after a failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The move, which saw soldiers deployed to parliament, was swiftly voted down by opposition lawmakers and left Yoon politically isolated. He has been detained since July 10, 2025, and now faces trial on grave charges, including insurrection and abuse of power. If convicted, he could face life in prison or even the death penalty. Yoon has denied any wrongdoing and has refused to attend trial hearings or submit to questioning by prosecutors.
Kim’s arrest followed weeks of mounting legal pressure. Prosecutors submitted an 848-page opinion to the court outlining her alleged “unlawful acts,” according to The Taipei Times. The court, convinced by the risk of evidence tampering, issued the arrest warrant late on August 12, 2025. Kim will be held at a detention center in southern Seoul, separate from the facility where her husband is being held.
Controversy has long dogged Kim. Public criticism flared in 2022 after a video surfaced showing her accepting a Dior handbag from a left-wing pastor. She has also been accused of interfering in the selection of legislative candidates, a violation of election laws. During Yoon’s presidency, he repeatedly dismissed calls to investigate his wife, denouncing them as politically motivated attacks. In a bid to shield Kim from scrutiny, Yoon vetoed three special investigation bills passed by the opposition-controlled parliament, with the last veto issued in late November 2024.
The political fallout from the couple’s legal woes has been swift and far-reaching. Following Yoon’s removal, South Korea held a snap presidential election in June 2025, which was won by Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung. Yoon, despite having quit the People Power Party in May, endorsed its candidate in the election. The once-powerful conservative party now finds itself under investigation, its reputation battered by association with the scandal.
South Korea is no stranger to political scandals involving its leaders. Several former presidents have been indicted and jailed in the past. But, as noted by The Independent, this is the first time both a former president and a first lady have been detained simultaneously. The unprecedented nature of the case has sparked debate across the political spectrum, with supporters of the current administration hailing the crackdown on corruption, while critics decry what they see as heavy-handed political retribution.
As the legal process grinds forward, both Kim Keon Hee and Yoon Suk Yeol maintain their innocence. Their trials are set to test not only the resilience of South Korea’s judicial system, but also the nation’s appetite for accountability at the highest levels of power. With the country’s political landscape still reeling from the shockwaves, all eyes are on the courts—and on a former first couple whose fate remains uncertain.
