The court found Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of spreading false information during his presidential campaign. The judges particularly noted the severity of his false statements made during interviews, as opposed to debates.
The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 21, led by Judge Jo Soon-pyo, ruled on July 27 that Yoon was guilty of two charges brought by the special prosecutor's team led by Kim Geon-hee. These charges involved statements regarding his introduction of former Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woo-jin to lawyer Lee Nam-seok and comments about Jeon Seong-bae, who was accompanied by Kim Geon-hee.
The court stated, "From the perspective of the general electorate, introducing a lawyer includes not only the formal submission of a retainer agreement but also facilitating contact between the parties involved in the case and the lawyer." It added that based on recordings with a journalist in 2012 and past testimony at hearings, the defendant had directly facilitated the introduction of this lawyer but denied it entirely before the election.
The court further emphasized that this was not a passive mistake or something easily forgotten, but rather a specific experience led by the defendant, indicating clear intent to mislead.
Additionally, the court found Yoon guilty of denying his relationship with Jeon during an interview at the launch of the Buddhist Leaders Forum in January 2022, as well as whether Kim Geon-hee was present.
The court dismissed Yoon's claim that Jeon was a typical Buddhist monk, clarifying that Jeon had engaged in fortune-telling at his residence's temple, indicating a mystical character. It noted that Yoon had sought personal and political advice from Jeon since around 2013, contradicting his explanation that it was merely a chance meeting through party contacts.
The court stated, "Whether a candidate may rely on unofficial and mystical influences is a significant issue directly related to voters' fair judgment." It criticized the severity of false statements made in interviews and exclusive debates, contrasting them with the more open discussions allowed in candidate debates.
Following the ruling, the People Power Party may face a financial crisis. If the Supreme Court upholds the sentence, the party will have to return 39.7 billion won in election costs received from the National Election Commission during the presidential campaign.
As of February, the People Power Party's total assets were reported to exceed 130 billion won. However, if the full election costs are returned, it could significantly impact the party's finances, potentially threatening its future existence. Most of the party's assets are reportedly tied to real estate, and there are cautious forecasts that the party may have to sell its headquarters building in Yeouido, Seoul, if the reimbursement is confirmed.
According to the Public Official Election Act, a presidential candidate who is elected or receives more than 15% of the vote is reimbursed for the full election costs by the election commission. However, if a candidate is sentenced to a disqualification penalty of 1 million won or more, the party must return all funds.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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