First Lady Kim Keon-hee has filed an appeal against the seven-year prison sentence handed down by the first trial court in the so-called office-selling scandal.

On June 30, Kim's legal team submitted the appeal to the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 21 (Presiding Judge Cho Soon-pyo), which had convicted her of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes regarding the solicitation of bribes.

The appeal argues that the first trial court's ruling contained errors of fact and misinterpretations of the law, and that the sentencing was excessively harsh.

On May 26, the court found Kim guilty on all charges of receiving valuables, including necklaces and earrings, in exchange for facilitating various personnel appointments and business favors before and after the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

Specifically, the court determined that between March 15 and May 20, 2022, Kim received jewelry worth a total of 103.8 million won, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Tiffany & Co. brooch, and Graff earrings, from Lee Bong-kwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, in exchange for soliciting the appointment of his eldest son-in-law.

The court also recognized as facts the charges that she received a Vacheron Constantin wristwatch worth 39.9 million won from a robot dog business entrepreneur surnamed Seo in September of the same year in exchange for business support, and that she received items including a Dior bag worth 5.4 million won from Pastor Choi Jae-young between June and September in exchange for soliciting the performance of official duties by public servants.

Furthermore, the court found her guilty of receiving a gold turtle and a replica of Sehando worth 2.65 million won from former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bae-yong on April 26, 2022, in exchange for soliciting an appointment, as well as receiving a painting by artist Lee U-fan worth 140 million won from former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min around February of the following year in exchange for soliciting a political nomination.