A Seoul appellate court on Monday overturned the acquittal of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook and sentenced her to two years behind bars for bribery.

The Seoul High Court, however, did not put the country's first female prime minster under custody, taking into consideration that she is a sitting lawmaker.

Han, who was prime minister between 2006 and 2007 under the late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, was found guilty of receiving 880 million won (US$760,000) as political funds from a head of a local construction company.

The court also ordered Han to forfeit the 880 million, saying that the initial testimony of the construction firm head, who confessed to giving the kickbacks to Han, is credible.

Han, who is currently a lawmaker with the main opposition Democratic Party, was cleared of a separate bribery charge in March of this year.

Upholding a lower court's ruling, the Supreme Court found Han not guilty of taking $50,000 in bribes while in office from former Korea Express chief executive Kwak Young-wook. (Yonhap news)