Top Court Keeps Kim Keon Hee Jailed With New Arrest Warrant

South Korea’s Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 27) issued a fresh arrest warrant for former first lady Kim Keon Hee, keeping her in custody for another two months while her appeals are pending, Yonhap reported.

The court cited the risk that Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, could flee or destroy evidence.

Why Kim Keon Hee received a new warrant

Kim’s existing warrant in her corruption case expires on Saturday (Oct 31), before a final verdict is due. The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki therefore asked for a new warrant based on a separate bribery-related case.

The Supreme Court held a hearing earlier on Tuesday. Kim took part by video from the Seoul Nambu Detention Center, where she has been held since August 2025, and denied the bribery allegations, maintaining her innocence.

Her lawyers raised concerns about her health, including the mental toll of political attacks and her prolonged use of psychiatric drugs, according to the report.

Two cases under appeal

Kim is appealing a four-year prison sentence in the corruption case and a five-year sentence in the bribery case. The corruption case has been before the Supreme Court’s full bench since July.

In the corruption case, she is accused of involvement in stock price manipulation, receiving luxury gifts from the Unification Church and obtaining free opinion poll results from a self-described power broker.

The bribery case involves allegations that she accepted expensive gifts from several people in return for job appointments and business favours.

Under South Korea’s Criminal Procedure Act, detention runs for two months at a time and is capped at six months in principle, through two extensions, the report said.

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