South Korea’s former president is appealing a two-year sentence over opinion polls received before the 2022 election; the ruling is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Seoul High Court is scheduled to rule Wednesday, October 7, on former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s case over free opinion polls received before the 2022 presidential election. The ruling is set for 2 p.m. local time, Yonhap reported.
A lower court sentenced Yoon to two years in prison for violating the Political Funds Act. Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team alleged that Yoon and his wife received 58 polls worth about 270 million won, or roughly US$202,000, from self-described political power broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022.
The lower court convicted Yoon over 14 instances, finding they amounted to illegal political donations. It said the other 44 instances could not be considered to have been received with the couple’s consent. The special counsel sought a four-year prison term.
Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, was acquitted of the same charges in separate first- and second-instance trials and is awaiting a final Supreme Court ruling. Yoon is also facing multiple criminal trials following his failed 2024 martial-law bid and subsequent removal from office.