Wed Sep 24 08:04:36 UTC 2025: **News Article: Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon-hee Faces Corruption Trial**
**Seoul, South Korea** – Former First Lady Kim Keon-hee appeared in a Seoul court Wednesday, marking the start of her trial on multiple corruption charges. Kim, 53, was brought from detention, where she has been held since August 12th, her face partially concealed and wearing inmate number 4398.
During the hearing, Kim, identified herself as “unemployed” and waived her right to a jury trial. She becomes the first spouse of a former president to face trial in South Korea.
The charges against Kim include violating the Capital Markets Act through alleged stock manipulation. Prosecutors allege she conspired with associates to inflate the stock price of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer, between 2010 and 2012, earning approximately 810 million won ($581,000).
The second charge stems from allegations that she and her husband, former President Yoon Suk-yeol, received free opinion polls before the 2021 election in exchange for promising a nomination for Kim Young-sun in a People Power Party by-election.
The final charge, corruption, involves Kim’s alleged acceptance of luxury bags and jewelry from the Unification Church in 2022. The head of the church, Han Hak-ja, was arrested Tuesday on bribery charges, which she denies.
Adding to the legal woes of the former first couple, ousted President Yoon is separately standing trial for his alleged attempt to impose martial law in December of last year.
First Piper 