Kang Sun‑Woo’s Feb 3 Police Interview and Kim Keon‑Hee’s Appeal Highlight South Korea’s Corruption Crackdown
Updated (77 articles)
Kang Sun‑Woo Returns for Second Police Interview The former Democratic Party lawmaker arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Public Crime Investigation Unit at 9:30 a.m. on Feb 3, 2026, for a second suspect interview after an initial appearance on Jan 20 [1]. She had left the DP in January to sit as an independent, a move that preceded the renewed questioning [1]. Kang apologized for causing public concern but declined to answer reporters’ questions [1]. Police are probing alleged illegal political funds linked to her [1].
Prosecutors Accuse Kang of Accepting 100 Million Won Investigators allege Kang received 100 million won from former Seoul councilor Kim Kyung in January 2022 in exchange for securing the party’s nomination for his council seat [1]. Kang claims she was unaware that cash was inside a shopping bag handed to her at a hotel [1]. Both Kim Kyung and a former aide testified that she knew the cash was present [1]. Police also examine roughly 130 million won donated under borrowed names between Oct 2022 and Dec 2023, which Kang says she returned after learning of the scheme [1].
Kim Keon‑Hee Files Appeal Against 20‑Month Sentence On Feb 2, 2026, former first lady Kim Keon‑Hee lodged an appeal with the Seoul Central District Court challenging a 20‑month prison term for accepting a Chanel handbag and a Graff diamond necklace from a Unification Church official [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. The court also ordered forfeiture of 12.8 million won (≈US$9,000) [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. She was acquitted of stock‑price manipulation and Political Funds Act violations [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Her lawyers deny receipt of the necklace and contest the bag’s classification as a business favor [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].
Historic Dual Convictions and Ongoing Appeals The rulings make Kim and her husband Yoon Suk‑yeol the first former presidential couple in South Korea to receive criminal sentences, with Yoon already serving a five‑year term for a 2024 martial‑law insurrection [2][6][9][13][17]. Prosecutors had sought a 15‑year term for Kim, underscoring a stark gap between the prosecution’s request and the court’s penalty [2][6][9][13][17]. Both the special counsel and Kim’s defense have announced intentions to appeal the judgment [2][6][9][13][17]. The parallel investigation of Kang’s alleged cash‑bag payments illustrates a broader anti‑graft crackdown on political figures [1][2][6][9][13][17].
Sources
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1.
Yonhap: Former DP Lawmaker Kang Sun‑woo Returns for Police Questioning on Bribery Allegations – Details Kang’s Feb 3 police interview, her independent status, and the 100 million‑won cash‑bag claim, plus additional donations under borrowed names .
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2.
Yonhap: Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Appeals 20‑Month Prison Sentence – Reports Kim’s Feb 2 appeal, the Chanel bag and Graff necklace verdict, forfeiture amount, and acquittals on stock‑price and political‑fund charges .
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3.
Yonhap: Kim Keon Hee Appeals 20‑Month Prison Sentence in Unification Church Gift Case – Highlights the appeal, forfeiture, prosecution’s 15‑year request, and the court’s view of the gifts as business favors .
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4.
Yonhap: Kim Keon Hee Appeals 20‑Month Prison Sentence for Unification Church Gifts – Emphasizes the historic first‑couple conviction and the focus on luxury‑gift bribery .
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5.
Yonhap: Kim Keon Hee’s Lawyers Appeal 20‑Month Prison Sentence – Brief notice of the appeal filing and confirmation of the 20‑month term .
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6.
Yonhap: Special Counsel Appeals Kim Keon Hee Corruption Verdict – Describes the special counsel’s Jan 30 appeal, the court’s 20‑month sentence, and the prosecution’s 15‑year demand .
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7.
BBC: Former South Korean first lady sentenced to 20 months for bribery – Covers the sentencing, the Chanel bag and Graff necklace, and the acquittal of other charges .
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8.
Yonhap: Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribe‑Related Gifts – Provides sentencing details, forfeiture, and the contrast with the prosecution’s harsher request .
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9.
CNN: South Korea’s former first lady sentenced to prison for luxury‑gift bribery – Reports the 1‑year‑8‑month term, the luxury items, and the prosecutors’ valuation of illicit benefits .
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10.
Yonhap: Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribe‑Related Gifts – Reiterates the sentencing, the specific items deemed bribes, and the prosecution’s appeal plans .
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11.
CNN: South Korea’s former first lady sentenced to prison for luxury‑gift bribery – Highlights the court’s finding, the forfeiture, and the broader context of Yoon’s parallel trial .
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12.
Yonhap: Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Accepting Luxury Gifts – Summarizes the sentence, forfeiture, and acquittals of other charges .
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13.
BBC: Former South Korean first lady sentenced to 20 months for bribe acceptance – Details the gifts, the court’s reasoning, and the historic dual convictions .
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14.
Yonhap: Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 1 Year 8 Months for Gift‑Taking – Notes the sentence, acquittals, and the prosecution’s 15‑year request .
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15.
Yonhap: Ex‑First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 1 Year 8 Months in Corruption Case – Briefly reports the sentencing and article timestamps .
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16.
Yonhap: Seoul Mayor Oh Se‑hoon's Proxy Poll Payment Trial Set for March 4 – Announces the March 4 trial for Oh Se‑hoon’s alleged 33 million‑won proxy poll payment .
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Yonhap: Court to Deliver Verdict on Ex‑First Lady Kim Keon Hee’s Corruption Case – Pre‑verdict notice, potential historic conviction, and prosecution’s 15‑year demand .
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Yonhap: First Trial in Yoon Opinion‑Poll Case Set for March 17 – Details Yoon’s indictment for 58 free polls, the trial schedule, and Kim’s pending verdict .
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Yonhap: Court Allows Live Broadcast of Former First Lady’s Corruption Verdict – Confirms live airing of Kim’s verdict, prosecutors’ 15‑year request, and allegations of stock‑rigging and shaman‑linked gifts .
Timeline
Dec 1, 2025 – A special‑counsel team led by Min Joong‑ki indicts Seoul Mayor Oh Se‑hoon for violating the Political Funds Act by arranging a proxy payment of 33 million won for ten opinion polls before the 2021 mayoral election; the indictment also names former deputy mayor Kang Cheol‑won and supporter Kim Han‑jung, and Oh denies commissioning the surveys, calling them “fabricated” and “fake”[27][29].
Dec 2, 2025 – Special prosecutors execute a court‑issued search warrant at special‑counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s office, seizing Telegram messages from May 2024 that allegedly show Kim Keon‑hee asking former Justice Minister Park Sung‑jae about the progress of investigations into her stock‑manipulation and luxury‑bag cases[26].
Dec 16, 2025 – The special‑counsel team indicts former first lady Kim Keon‑hee again, this time on charges of taking luxury gifts—including Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry worth over 100 million won and a gold turtle—from a construction‑company chairman and Lee Bae‑yong in exchange for business favors, while noting a prior Dior‑handbag case remains under appeal[22].
Dec 26, 2025 – The same special‑counsel team files a fresh indictment against Kim Keon‑hee for accepting luxury gifts valued at 80 million won from the Unification Church in 2022, alleging the items were exchanged for government and PPP nominations; prosecutors seek a 15‑year prison term, far exceeding the modest sentence later imposed[21][22].
Dec 29, 2025 – The 180‑day investigation into Kim Keon‑hee concludes, with assistant special counsel Kim Hyong‑kun accusing her of “modern‑day sale of public offices” and of intervening in state affairs behind the public’s sight, citing gifts worth 370 million won and a stock‑price‑manipulation scheme that netted about 810 million won between 2010‑2012[21].
Dec 30, 2025 – A recording from April 2022 surfaces showing DP lawmaker Kang Sun‑woo discussing a 100 million‑won payment tied to a local‑election nomination; the scandal forces PPP lawmaker Kim Byung‑kee to resign after a broad apology, while the Democratic Party orders an ethics probe of Kang[20].
2025 (year‑long) – Kim Keon‑hee’s art‑education degree from Sookmyung Women’s University is annulled after plagiarism is discovered in her 1999 thesis, adding academic misconduct to her legal woes[2].
Jan 11, 2026 – Seoul councilor Kim Kyung returns from the United States and faces a police investigation into an alleged 100 million‑won payment to Rep. Kang Sun‑woo’s aide to influence a 2022 council‑seat nomination; she pledges to cooperate but declines to confirm the cash transfer[18].
Jan 14, 2026 – Police raid former DP lawmaker Kim Byung‑kee’s home, office, and related sites, seizing computers and documents as part of a bribery probe that alleges he received 30 million won from two Dongjak‑ward councilors in 2020 and misused a council credit card[17].
Jan 15, 2026 – Police summon Rep. Kang Sun‑woo for questioning about a 100 million‑won bribe allegedly delivered by councilor Kim Kyung; Kang claims she learned of the cash only later and instructed its return, while Kim Kyung insists she handed the money to Kang personally[15].
Jan 15, 2026 – In a second interview, councilor Kim Kyung is questioned again about the same 100 million‑won payment, reiterating that she delivered the cash to Kang at a café before the 2022 local elections[16].
Jan 16, 2026 – Former President Yoon Suk Yeol receives a five‑year prison sentence for abuse of power, document falsification and obstruction of justice tied to his failed 2024 martial‑law decree, marking the first conviction of a South Korean ex‑president[1].
Jan 18, 2026 – Police conduct a third round of questioning of former DP aide Nam and former councilor Kim Kyoung over a 100 million‑won cash transfer linked to Kang Sun‑woo’s 2022 nomination, with both suspects offering conflicting accounts of who handled the money[14].
Jan 19, 2026 – Seoul police reopen a probe into the wife of ex‑DP lawmaker Kim Byung‑kee, investigating alleged personal use of a Dongjak‑ward councilor’s corporate card between July and September 2022 after a prior clearance is challenged[13].
Jan 20, 2026 – Former DP lawmaker Kang Sun‑woo appears for her first police interview at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Public Crime Investigation Unit, apologizing for public concern but refusing to answer reporters’ questions[4].
Jan 22, 2026 – Lee, the wife of ex‑DP lawmaker Kim Byung‑kee, is questioned as a suspect in a Political Funds Act violation after allegedly receiving 30 million won in illegal political funds from two Dongjak‑ward councilors in 2020; she remains silent on the money and her husband’s knowledge[12].
Jan 26, 2026 – Seoul councilor Kim Kyung resigns ahead of an ethics hearing, citing a desire to avoid expulsion; the resignation follows investigations into a 100 million‑won bribe paid to Rep. Kang Sun‑woo for a 2022 nomination[11].
Jan 28, 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court delivers its verdict at 2:10 p.m., sentencing former first lady Kim Keon‑hee to 20 months in prison for accepting a Chanel handbag and a Graff diamond necklace from a Unification‑Church official in 2022; the court orders forfeiture of 12.8 million won, acquits her of stock‑price manipulation and political‑fund violations, and notes she “did not solicit the bribes” but “misused her status”[1][3].
Jan 28, 2026 – The same sentencing hearing also hands down prison terms to a former Unification‑Church official and Rep. Kweon Seong‑dong for related graft, while Yoon Suk Yeol’s earlier five‑year sentence makes the Kim‑Yoon couple the first former presidential pair in South Korean history to be convicted[10].
Jan 28, 2026 – Judge Woo In‑sung emphasizes Kim’s lack of a criminal record and that she “did not solicit the bribes,” explaining the modest 20‑month term versus the prosecution’s request for 15 years and a 2 billion‑won fine[1].
Jan 28, 2026 – Prosecutors announce they will appeal the verdict, arguing the court “seriously misunderstood the facts” and seeking a harsher penalty for Kim’s alleged corruption[5].
Jan 28, 2026 – The court schedules the first formal trial on the alleged proxy‑payment case involving Seoul Mayor Oh Se‑hoon for March 4, 2026, with bi‑weekly hearings to follow, a timetable designed to limit political fallout ahead of the June local elections[9].
Feb 2, 2026 – Kim Keon‑hee files an appeal with the Seoul Central District Court, contesting the 20‑month prison term and the forfeiture of 12.8 million won; her lawyers claim she never received the Graff necklace and dispute the classification of the Chanel bag as a “business favor”[5].
Feb 3, 2026 – Former DP lawmaker Kang Sun‑woo appears for a second police interview at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, again declining to answer reporters’ questions while maintaining she apologized for causing public concern[4].
Dive deeper (13 sub-stories)
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Former DP Lawmaker Kang Sun‑woo Returns for Second Police Interview on Bribery
(27 articles)
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Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Appeals 20‑Month Prison Sentence Over Unification Church Gifts
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Seoul Mayor Oh Se‑hoon's Proxy Poll Trial Scheduled for March 4 Amid Election Countdown
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Yoon Suk‑Yeol’s Opinion‑Poll Trial Begins March 17, Weekly Hearings Planned
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Seoul Court Approves Live Broadcast of Former First Lady Kim Keon‑Hee Verdict
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Yonhap: CIO raids special counsel office over alleged favoritism in bribery probe
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Yonhap: Police reopen probe into DP lawmaker's wife over alleged public fund misuse
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Police Raid Special Counsel Office Over Detention‑Space Plans Linked to 2024 Martial Law
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Indictment of PPP Lawmaker Kim Gi‑hyeon and Wife Over Luxury Gift to Former First Lady
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South Korea’s Ex‑First Lady Kim Keon‑Hee Indicted Again for Luxury Gifts Linked to Business Favors
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Ex-President Yoon Indicted Again for False Campaign Statement on Lawyer Introduction
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Ex‑Vice Land Minister and Former Presidential Secretary Indicted Over Residence Relocation Scheme
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Special Counsel Demands Eight‑Year Prison Term for Ex‑First Lady’s Associate
(2 articles)
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External resources (3 links)
- https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-former-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-indicted-bribery-2025-08-29/ (cited 1 times)