SEOUL: South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested on Tuesday over a range of charges including stock manipulation and corruption, prosecutors said.

The arrest occurred hours after the Seoul Central District Court reviewed the prosecutors’ request for an arrest warrant against the 52-year-old. The court granted the warrant, citing the risk of tampering with evidence, after prosecutors submitted an 848-page opinion laying out Kim’s alleged “unlawful acts”.

With the arrest, South Korea now has a former president and first lady both behind bars for the first time in the nation’s history. The charges against Kim include violations of capital market and financial investment laws, as well as political funds laws.

The arrest caps a dramatic fall for the ex-first couple after former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration on Dec 3, which saw soldiers deployed to parliament but was swiftly voted down by opposition MPs.

Yoon, a former top prosecutor, was impeached and removed from office in April over the martial law declaration, prompting the country to hold a snap election in June. He has been under arrest and in detention since July 10.

Last week, Kim underwent hours-long questioning by prosecutors, who filed for her arrest warrant the next day. “I sincerely apologise for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance,” Kim said as she arrived at the prosecutors’ office on Wednesday.

Controversy has long surrounded Kim, with lingering questions about her alleged role in stock manipulation.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025