South Korea's Supreme Court keeps former first lady Kim Keon Hee in custody with new warrant

South Korea's Supreme Court issued an additional detention warrant on Tuesday for Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, allowing her to be held for two more months, Yonhap and The Korea Herald reported. The court cited the risk that she could flee or destroy evidence. Her existing detention period was due to expire on Saturday.

Kim, who has been detained since August 2025, is appealing two cases at the Supreme Court: a four-year prison sentence in a corruption case and a five-year sentence in a bribery-related case, according to Yonhap. The special counsel requested the new warrant in the second case. Kim's lawyers opposed it, calling it an improper attempt to prolong her detention, The Korea Herald reported; Kim denied the bribery allegations during the hearing, which she joined by video from a detention center.

Why it matters: The ruling keeps a former first lady behind bars while the top court decides her appeals, part of a series of cases against figures from the Yoon government.