Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s jailed former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested on multiple charges, including stock manipulation and bribery. The former first lady denied all allegations during a four-hour court hearing in Seoul on August 12. Nevertheless, the court issued a detention warrant, citing concerns that she might destroy evidence.
While South Korea has a history of former presidents facing indictment and imprisonment, this marks the first time both a former president and first lady have been jailed.
Yoon was detained in January to face trial over a failed martial law attempt last year that plunged the country into chaos and led to his removal from office. He could now face life in prison or even the death penalty if convicted.
The crisis began on December 3, 2024, when President Yoon abruptly declared martial law during a period of declining public support. Justifying the decision with unsubstantiated claims that pro-North Korea “anti-government” groups were threatening national security, Yoon bypassed several cabinet members in a secretive emergency meeting. His actions sparked mass protests and fierce opposition from lawmakers, eventually leading to his impeachment in April 2025.
Click through to learn more about this unprecedented political drama that has shaken one of Asia’s most prominent democracies.