SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An appeals court has raised to four years the sentence for the wife of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol for corruption, about two months after her husband was sentenced to life in prison for rebellion.
In January, ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison in a district court for receiving gifts including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church in return for promises of political favors. However, she was acquitted of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme before she became first lady.
Both parties appealed, and on Tuesday, the Seoul High Court raised her jail term to four years by convicting her of receiving another Chanel bag from the church and the price rigging charge.
The presidential couple suffered a dramatic fall from grace after Yoon’s martial law imposition in December 2024 led to his impeachment and eventual removal from office. Yoon faces a slew of criminal trials related to his martial law debacle and other scandals. Investigators say Kim was not involved in Yoon’s martial law enforcement.
The Seoul High Court said that a first lady, being closest to a president, represents the country together with her husband and has a big influence on him. It said Kim failed to meet public expectations for her integrity and rather exploited her high-profile status to get the gifts from the Unification Church.
Both Kim and an independent counsel have one week to appeal to the Supreme Court, the country’s top court. Independent counsel Min Joong-ki’s team earlier requested a 15-year term; Kim's defense team has argued Min’s investigation was politically driven.
Kim has been in jail since last August when the Seoul district court approved a warrant to arrest her, citing the chance she might destroy evidence. When Yoon was in office, Kim was embroiled in a series of scandals that hurt her husband’s approval rating and provided relentless political ammunition to his rivals.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon, a conservative, abruptly declared martial law and sent troops and police officers to the National Assembly, saying he aimed to eliminate “anti-state forces” and “shameless North Korea sympathizers.” He has defended his action, calling it a desperate attempt to draw public support for his fight against the liberal opposition Democratic Party which obstructed his agenda.
In February, the Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of rebellion for mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the Assembly, arrest political opponents and establish unchecked power for an indefinite period.
Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol watch a live TV broadcast that shows his wife Kim Keon Hee attending a hearing during a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holds up a banner showing an image of his wife Kim Keon Hee during a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The letters read "Stay strong, Madam! and We love you" (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
An image of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee is seen during a rally by supporters outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The letters read "Not Guilty." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
WASHINGTON (AP) — King Charles III will embrace some of Washington's most formal ceremonial trappings on Tuesday as he tries to emphasize a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.
He will become the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991. Her speech highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday.
Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel and Winston Churchill. It will likely mark the most extensive public remarks Charles will deliver during a four-day visit to the U.S. that's intended to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the U.K. Parliament earlier this year. He attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told him he would be “well received” in Congress.
The king, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will begin his day with a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. The Oval Office encounter offers the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign leaders that have become routine during Trump's second term.
But it will be closed to the public, and, given the expressly apolitical nature of the British monarch and Trump's fondness for the royal family, the likelihood of an awkward meeting may be reduced. Trump will host Charles on Tuesday evening for a state banquet at the White House.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-U.K. relations. Trump’s up-and-down relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump criticized Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.”
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the U.K. and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the U.K. if it doesn't scrap a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.
Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to annex Greenland and threats to walk away from NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.
Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the U.S. There's no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blamed Republican policies on Monday for straining the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
“Hopefully, the king's visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.
Charles and Camilla arrived at the nation's capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their U.S. trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.
Associated Press writer Stephen Groves in Washington contributed to this report.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband Paul before Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
Britain's King Charles III talks with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller during a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
