Court finds former President Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of election law violations

A court has found former President Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of violating election law by disseminating false information during the 2022 presidential campaign. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, on July 27.

The charges stemmed from statements Yoon made concerning his relationship with lawyer Jeon Sung-bae, known as 'Geonjin Beopsa,' and Yoon Woo-jin, the former head of the Yongsan Tax Office and brother of former prosecutor Yoon Dae-jin. The court ruled that Yoon's claims of only being introduced to Jeon Sung-bae incidentally during the election campaign were false, given their established relationship since 2013 where Jeon provided advice on various matters, including the Park Geun-hye administration's special prosecutor appointment.

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The defendant's denial of a relationship with a person with whom he had maintained close ties since 2013 and repeatedly received personal and political advice, as if he had only coincidentally met them during the election process, constitutes a false statement.

Similarly, the court found Yoon's assertion that he had not introduced a lawyer to Yoon Woo-jin to be untrue. Evidence indicated multiple phone calls between Yoon and Yoon Woo-jin, and contact from a lawyer using Yoon's name, leading the court to conclude that an introduction had indeed occurred. The court described the offenses as "very grave" and "not light," emphasizing that Yoon's falsehoods obstructed the public's ability to make informed decisions during the election.

If this ruling is finalized by the Supreme Court, the People Power Party could be required to repay approximately 39.7 billion won in election funds that the party received from the National Election Commission. The article urges the party to distance itself from Yoon and his supporters following this verdict.

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Given that the defendant had multiple phone calls with Yoon Woo-jin and formed a relationship of trust, and that lawyer Lee contacted Yoon Woo-jin using the defendant's name, it is judged that an introduction was made. The statement could be interpreted as denying that a lawyer was connected at all regarding Yoon Woo-jin, thus constituting the dissemination of false information.