Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday demanded a 15-year prison term for former first lady Kim Keon Hee on charges of corruption and bribery.

According to Yonhap News Agency, special counsel Min Joong-ki's team made the request during the final hearing of Kim's trial at the Seoul Central District Court. She was indicted in August on charges of violating the Capital Market Act, the Political Funds Act, and a law concerning the acceptance of bribes for mediation.

The case against Kim involves allegations of conspiring with a former head of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, and a close associate to manipulate the company's stock price. This manipulation reportedly resulted in illegal profits amounting to 810 million won (approximately US$552,670) between 2010 and 2012.

Kim is further accused of accepting luxury gifts valued at 80 million won from a Unification Church official in 2022. These gifts, allegedly received through a shaman, were reportedly accompanied by requests for business favors. For these charges, the special counsel team has requested an 11-year prison sentence, a fine of 2 billion won, and the forfeiture of around 811 million won.

In addition, Kim is suspected of receiving complimentary opinion polls worth 270 million won along with her husband from a self-identified power broker. This was allegedly in exchange for securing the nomination of former People Power Party Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election in 2022. For this charge, the special counsel team has demanded a four-year prison term and the forfeiture of 137 million won.

The court announced that the sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28. Kim has been in custody since August 12.

Her husband, the ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is also imprisoned and facing trial on insurrection charges related to a failed attempt to impose martial law last December.