Jeon Sung-bae and Yoon Young-ho, key figures in the bribery allegations involving Kim Geon-hee, have had their prison sentences confirmed by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's third division, led by Justice Roh Kyung-pil, upheld a five-year prison sentence and a fine of 180.79 million won for Jeon, who was convicted of solicitation and bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. The court also maintained the lower court's ruling that found him not guilty of violating the Political Fund Act.
Jeon was accused of receiving over 80 million won in gifts, including Chanel bags and a Graff diamond necklace, from Yoon between April and July 2022, in exchange for assistance with Unification Church issues. The special investigation team concluded that the church sought Kim's help regarding projects such as the Cambodian Mekong River Official Development Assistance (ODA) and the establishment of a UN office in Korea.
He was also charged with receiving 30 million won from Yoon in exchange for a position as an advisor to the Unification Group, as well as over 200 million won in gifts related to tax investigations and business solicitations.
The first trial sentenced Jeon to six years in prison, but the second trial reduced the sentence to five years, considering his partial admission of guilt and cooperation in providing evidence. The Supreme Court found no legal misinterpretation in the lower court's judgment regarding solicitation and intent.
However, a charge of receiving 100 million won from Park Chang-wook, a Gyeongbuk provincial council member, in exchange for a nomination request ahead of the 2022 local elections was dismissed, as the court ruled that Jeon could not be considered a 'politically active person' under the Political Fund Act.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also confirmed a one-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Yoon, who was charged with violating the Political Fund Act, the Anti-Graft Act, and embezzlement.
Yoon was accused of delivering two Chanel bags, a Graff diamond necklace, and other gifts to Kim through Jeon while soliciting assistance with Unification Church matters. He was also charged with providing 100 million won in illegal political funds to Kwon Seong-dong in January 2022.
While some embezzlement charges against Yoon were dismissed in the first trial, the second trial overturned that decision, ruling that using church funds to provide gifts to the spouse of the president for solicitation purposes constituted embezzlement. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling.
Charges related to Yoon's alleged destruction of evidence regarding Han Hak-ja, the Unification Church leader, were dismissed as they were not subject to prosecution under the Special Prosecutor Act.
With the Supreme Court recognizing the bribery and solicitation charges against the Unification Church officials, attention is now focused on the ongoing appeal involving Kim Geon-hee and Kwon Seong-dong.
The case against Kim is currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court's second division, where she was sentenced to four years in prison, fined 50 million won, and ordered to forfeit 20.94 million won in the second trial, prompting her immediate appeal.
Kwon is also appealing a two-year prison sentence for receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from Yoon. The confirmation of Jeon and Yoon's convictions raises questions about whether the lower court's decisions will be upheld in their cases.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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