Ex-South Korean First Lady Faces Bribery and Stock Manipulation Trial

In a significant moment for South Korean history, former First Lady Kim Keon-hee appeared in court for the first hearing of her corruption trial on Wednesday, as reported by Al Jazeera. Kim, who was clad in a mask and her detainee number, has been held in custody since August 12. During the proceedings at the Seoul Central District Court, she confirmed her unemployment status and opted against a jury trial.

The charges against Kim are severe, marking the first instance where a former president's spouse faces trial in South Korea. She is accused of flouting the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and a law related to bribery acceptance. Allegations suggest she collaborated with Deutsch Motors' ex-head and another confidant to unlawfully manipulate stock prices, accruing substantial profits between 2010 and 2012.

Kim's association with her husband, the ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol, is under scrutiny for supposedly benefiting from free opinion polls in the 2021 elections, which Yoon won. Prosecution believes this favor secured a candidate's nomination in a by-election. Additionally, corruption allegations have arisen concerning luxury items from the controversial Unification Church, whose leader was recently detained on related charges, a report from Al Jazeera highlighted.