South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee has been arrested, becoming the first in the nation’s history to face such detention.
The 52-year-old is accused of bribery, stock fraud, and influence peddling—offenses that carry lengthy prison terms.
Prosecutors said the arrest was necessary over fears she could destroy evidence or interfere with the ongoing investigation.
The move comes just months after her husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted in April and arrested on insurrection charges linked to an alleged attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon now faces a possible life sentence or even the death penalty.
Investigators allege Kim failed to declare a luxury Van Cleef pendant valued at about $43,000 that she wore to a NATO summit in 2022.
While she claimed it was a fake purchased in Hong Kong two decades ago, prosecutors say it was authentic.
She is also accused of accepting two Chanel handbags worth $14,500 and a diamond necklace from a religious group in exchange for using her position to support the group’s business dealings.
Kim, who was questioned for several hours last week, has denied wrongdoing. Following that interrogation, prosecutors quickly sought an arrest warrant.
Her detention marks a dramatic turn in South Korea’s political landscape, with both a former president and first lady now awaiting trial in separate but high-profile cases.