• Kim Keon Hee sentenced to 20 months in jail for accepting bribes from Unification Church officials.
• The court acquitted her of charges related to stock price manipulation and electoral violations.
• This marks the first instance in South Korea where both a former president and first lady have been convicted at the same time.
• Prosecutors had sought a 15-year prison term despite her denial of all charges.
• Her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is also serving a five-year sentence for corruption related to martial law.

A South Korean court has sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to 20 months in jail for accepting bribes while acquitting her of charges related to stock price manipulation and violating political funding laws. Prosecutors had accused her of receiving gifts valued at approximately 80 million won (around $200,000), including luxury items from the controversial Unification Church as recompense for political favors, according to BBC and South China Morning Post.

The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Kim had "misused her position" as first lady for personal gain, contributing to a broader culture of corruption that severely undermined public institutions, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia. Despite the gravity of the allegations, the court found insufficient evidence to prove stock manipulation and thus acquitted her of those specific charges.

This sentencing is historic not only for the implications it has for Kim Keon Hee but also for the fact that both she and her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, are now facing prison sentences for corruption-related charges. Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing an investigation regarding his attempt to declare martial law, which is a serious crime in South Korea, according to Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera.

In her defense, Kim Keon Hee has continuously denied the charges leveled against her, claiming they are unjust. Nevertheless, she expressed remorse for any trouble caused during her husband’s administration, stating, "When I consider my role and the responsibilities entrusted to me, it seems clear that I have made many mistakes," as highlighted by India Times and BBC.