On the afternoon of September 22, the Seoul High Court in South Korea delivered its appellate ruling in the case involving Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was accused of trading public offices for favors. Kim was sentenced to five years in prison, a reduction from the seven-year term handed down in the initial trial.

South Korean prosecutors had charged Kim with leveraging her status as the president's wife—both before and after Yoon took office—to accept requests from construction firms, tech companies, and individuals. She was accused of receiving gifts such as high-end jewelry, watches, luxury handbags, and valuable artworks, as well as engaging in the buying and selling of public offices.

Previously, on June 26, the Seoul Central District Court had delivered the initial verdict, sentencing Kim to seven years in prison.

During the first trial, Kim denied the charges in her closing statement, asserting that the role of a president's spouse is not about personal gain but about "giving everything one has for the nation." She maintained that allegations of using her position for profit or trading public offices were "completely untrue." She stated that while she was willing to accept responsibility for any actual wrongdoing, she "could never admit to actions she had not committed," and she asked the court to allow her to "at least preserve a minimum level of dignity."

While the court of first instance had upheld all charges brought by the prosecution, the appellate court found her not guilty on some counts, resulting in a reduced sentence.