The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence on charges of influence-peddling and bribery, slightly lighter than the seven years and six months prosecutors had sought.
Prosecutors earlier argued that Kim had repeatedly accepted expensive gifts using her status, and requested a harsher sentence.
The ruling covered all alleged influence-peddling and bribery charges against Kim, who was accused of accepting luxury goods worth 103.8 million won (US$67,500) including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace from Seo Hee Construction chairman Lee Bong-kwan in exchange for helping arrange a personnel appointment involving his eldest son-in-law.
She was also convicted of receiving a gold turtle figurine worth 2.65 million won from former National Education Commission chair Lee Bae-yong in connection with a request for an appointment. In another case, Kim was accused of accepting a Vacheron Constantin watch valued at 39 million won from robotics entrepreneur Seo Seong-bin in return for business-related assistance.
The court also found Kim guilty of receiving Dior bags worth a combined 5.4 million won from pastor Choi Jae-young in connection with requests involving official duties.
Kim was further convicted of accepting a painting by renowned Korean artist Lee U-fan, valued at about 140 million won, from former prosecutor Kim Sang-min in exchange for an election nomination request.
Kim, 53, is the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol and served as South Korea's first lady from 2022 until Yoon's ouster from office in April last year. Before entering public life, she ran a company organizing art exhibitions, but soon faced a series of controversies including allegations ranging from a stock-price manipulation scheme to academic plagiarism.
Her legal troubles have unfolded alongside proceedings against Yoon, making them the first former couple to face separate criminal cases. Kim has consistently denied wrongdoing in multiple investigations, while prosecutors have pursued a series of corruption-related cases against her over the past couple of years.
Kim bowed before the court and said she was "sincerely remorseful" for her "careless conduct," but she is expected to appeal Friday's ruling.
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