South Korea’s former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested on Tuesday. This happened after a court issued an arrest warrant following corruption accusations, which she denies, according to Yonhap news agency.

Notably, Kim is the first former first lady in South Korea to be arrested. Meanwhile, her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is already in jail. He faces trial after being removed from office in April. His charges come after a failed attempt to impose martial law last December.

Kim Appears in Court and Is Detained

Earlier on Tuesday, Kim arrived at the Seoul court wearing a black suit. She bowed but did not answer reporters’ questions or speak publicly. After the hearing, officials took her to a detention center in Seoul. This is the usual procedure in such cases.

The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant.

Serious Charges Include Fraud, Bribery, and Influence Peddling

Kim faces serious charges that carry long prison terms. These charges include stock fraud, bribery, and illegal influence peddling. Several business owners, religious leaders, and a political broker are involved in the investigation.

For instance, one key charge involves a luxury Van Cleef pendant. Kim wore this pendant, reportedly worth over 60 million won ($43,000), to a NATO summit with her husband in 2022. However, she failed to list it in their financial disclosures, which the law requires.

Additionally, Kim is accused of accepting two Chanel bags worth 20 million won and a diamond necklace. These gifts allegedly came from a religious group as bribes for favors that would help the group’s business interests.

Prosecutors Seek Arrest to Prevent Evidence Tampering

After the hearing, special prosecutor Oh Jeong-hee explained that prosecutors requested Kim’s arrest because they feared she might destroy evidence or interfere with the investigation.

Kim told prosecutors that the pendant she wore was a fake, bought 20 years ago in Hong Kong. However, prosecutors disagreed. They stated the pendant was genuine and was given by a local construction company for her to wear at the summit, Oh added.

Kim’s Lawyers Deny All Accusations

Kim’s lawyers did not comment immediately after the hearing. Nevertheless, they have denied all accusations before and called reports about the gifts baseless rumors.

Yoon Faces Serious Charges but Denies Wrongdoing

Meanwhile, Kim’s husband, former President Yoon, faces charges of insurrection. These charges carry penalties including life imprisonment or even the death penalty. He also faces accusations of abuse of power and other crimes. Yoon denies all wrongdoing and refuses to attend court hearings or answer prosecutors’ questions.