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Ex–First Lady Kim Keon Hee Indicted in Custody as Ex‑PM Han Duck‑soo Charged Without Detention in Probes of Yoon’s Martial Law Attempt

A Seoul court refused to jail Han, signaling judicial caution on pretrial detention as special prosecutors widen cases tied to the December decree.

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South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review her arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea August 12, 2025. JUNG YEON-JE/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team indicted Kim Keon Hee on bribery and on Capital Markets and Political Funds Act charges, making her the first former first lady to face trial in custody after her Aug. 12 arrest.
  • Prosecutors say Kim benefited from stock manipulation, accepted luxury gifts via Unification Church intermediaries, and received free polling linked to party nominations, allegations her lawyers dispute.
  • A separate team led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk indicted former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo without detention on charges including aiding the leader of an insurrection, perjury, and falsifying and destroying official documents.
  • The Seoul Central District Court on Aug. 27 rejected a request to arrest Han, citing little risk of flight or evidence tampering and noting room for legal dispute over key facts.
  • Investigators accuse Han of proposing a pre-declaration Cabinet meeting and drafting, then discarding, a revised proclamation to bolster the decree’s legality, as Yoon stands trial for insurrection over the Dec. 3, 2024 martial law attempt.