Special Prosecutor Seeks 2-Year Sentence for Yoon Over False Statements

A special prosecutor has requested a two-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who faces charges of disseminating false information during the 20th presidential election campaign. The request was made during the final hearing for Yoon's violation of the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul Central District Court.

Yoon was indicted for allegedly making false statements during a televised debate in December 2021. He denied introducing a lawyer to Yoon Dae-jin, the brother of his former close associate Yoon Dae-jin, who was then the prosecutor of the Suwon District Court. The prosecution contends this statement was false.

Further allegations involve a separate statement made by Yoon in January 2022, during the launch ceremony of the Buddhist Leaders Forum. He reportedly stated that while he had been introduced to Jeon Seong-bae, also known as "Geonjin Beopsa," he had not met him with his wife. The special prosecutor's team considers this statement to be another instance of spreading false information.

The prosecution believes that Yoon did, in fact, meet Jeon Seong-bae along with his wife, Kim Keon-hee. This alleged falsehood is central to the charges, as the prosecution asserts that the South Korean constitution mandates the election of the president through direct popular vote, implying that such misrepresentations undermine the electoral process.