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South Korea court sentences Yoon Suk-yeol to 18 months, suspended
The ruling could require his People Power Party to repay 39.7 billion won in election expenses if the decision is upheld on appeal.
A South Korean court on Monday sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to 18 months in prison, with the term suspended for three years, after finding he violated election law through false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign.
According to the Seoul Central District Court, Yoon made misleading claims during the campaign when he denied introducing a lawyer to a former tax official and said he and his wife, former first lady Kim Keon-hee, had not met shaman Jeon Seong-bae, with both relationships under scrutiny at the time.
The court said the impact of personally announced false information at high-profile public events is very significant for voters’ decision making. It also accepted prosecutors’ argument that the remarks helped ease scrutiny of the allegations during the presidential race.
The decision, if upheld through appeals, could force Yoon’s People Power Party to return 39.7 billion won, or about US$27.1 million, in election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission following his election victory. Yoon plans to appeal, his legal counsel said.