• Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's sentence increased to seven years for obstructing justice.
• Kim Keon Hee's sentence raised to four years for corruption involving stock manipulation and bribery.
• Both figures were convicted in separate trials, highlighting systemic corruption in South Korean politics.
• The rulings come amid ongoing political turmoil and legal challenges for both individuals.
• Yoon faces additional charges related to military drone actions against North Korea.

A South Korean appeals court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison for obstructing justice, an increase from the five-year sentence initially imposed by a lower court in January. Yoon was found guilty of using presidential security agents to resist arrest and for falsifying documents to circumvent a legally mandated Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law in December 2024, an act described as "highly reprehensible" by the court. Yoon is already serving a life sentence for rebellion charges related to this authoritarian move, impacting the nation's democratic stability, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

In a related ruling, the appeals court increased the sentence of Kim Keon Hee, Yoon's wife, to four years for her involvement in stock manipulation and receiving luxury gifts linked to a religious group seeking political favors. This decision reversed her earlier acquittal on charges associated with manipulating the share price of Deutsch Motors, affirming the court's stance that her actions undermined public trust in government transparency. Kim's situation highlights persistent corruption issues within South Korean political circles,Channel News Asia and NPR report.

The legal troubles for both Yoon and Kim reflect the turmoil following Yoon's brief imposition of martial law, which has sparked widespread criticism and political instability. Yoon's lawyers have labeled the sentencing unjust, indicating intentions to appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, additional charges against Yoon may see him facing up to 30 years in prison for allegedly escalating military tensions with North Korea through unauthorized drone flights, aiming to create conditions justifying martial law, as stated by Channel News Asia and NPR.