The Seoul Central District Court has partially accepted a forfeiture petition from the special prosecutor's team related to Kim Geon-hee, the wife of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, regarding assets linked to alleged criminal proceeds.
The special prosecutor's team investigating Kim Geon-hee, the spouse of former South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, had submitted a forfeiture petition concerning their Acro Vista residence in Seocho-dong. On January 28, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 27 accepted a portion of the forfeiture petition, approving approximately 12.81 million KRW out of nearly 1 billion KRW claimed as possible criminal proceeds. This forfeiture process freezes suspected criminal proceeds until a guilty verdict is confirmed, preventing the disposal of the assets in question.
The special prosecutor's team filed the forfeiture petition last August, seeking to link the real estate to the purported criminal earnings associated with Kim Geon-hee's alleged violations of the Capital Markets Act. Upon the acceptance of this petition, the court also sentenced Kim Geon-hee to a prison term of one year and eight months, alongside a forfeiture order for 12.81 million KRW and the confiscation of a diamond necklace. The court found her guilty of receiving a Chanel bag valued at that amount from Jeon Seong-bae, ruling it as a violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
If Kim Geon-hee pays the ordered amount of 12.81 million KRW, the court-mandated freeze on her real estate will be lifted, allowing her greater financial freedom. This case highlights ongoing legal struggles involving Kim Geon-hee and the broader implications of corruption and accountability for high-profile figures in South Korea, particularly those affiliated with the former presidential administration.
