The courtroom drama in Seoul has all the makings of a political thriller. Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee is finally facing trial in a bribery scandal that began with whispers of a luxury Dior handbag and has now spiraled into arrests, indictments, and allegations of church-funded influence.
What happened
Late 2023 – early 2024
A hidden-camera video surfaces showing Kim allegedly accepting a Dior bag from a pastor tied to the Unification Church. Other gifts reportedly included Chanel bags and a Graff necklace.
August 2025
Prosecutors formally indicted Kim. She was placed in physical detention on charges of bribery, stock manipulation, and illegal political fundraising.
September 2025
Kim appeaed in court, dressed in black, confirming her identity but refusing to answer detailed questions. On the same week, Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja is arrested for ordering bribes to secure political favors.
Ongoing
Her husband, ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, is facing his own trial for insurrection, making this a double blow to a once-powerful couple.
What she’s accused of?
Prosecutors say Kim received 80 million won (roughly 56K USD) worth of luxury gifts in exchange for influence. They also claim she meddled in stock transactions and pressured a broker into providing free political polling for her husband’s party.
Kim is accused of manipulating stock prices of Deutsch Motors, allegedly making 810 million won (~US$580,000) over two years (2010–2012) by conspiring with associates.
She’s also charged under the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and a bribery law, linking her to multiple financial and political violations.
Her defense team insists the evidence is flimsy and politically motivated.
That’s not all..
Kim has had her master’s and doctoral degrees revoked by universities over allegations of plagiarism. And her teaching license was also revoked by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.
This scandal mixes politics, religion, and designer handbags into a combustible cocktail. South Koreans are glued to the case, especially with the Dior bag video playing like something out of a soap opera. If convicted, Kim could face up to five years in prison.