▲ Yoon Suk-yeol
The appeal trial for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial on charges of receiving free opinion polls from political broker Myung Tae-kyun, is set to begin next month.
The 7th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Koo Hoe-keun) will hold the first hearing for Yoon's appeal on political funds act violations on the 21st of next month.
During the first appeal hearing, Yoon's legal team is expected to argue misinterpretation of facts, misunderstanding of legal principles, and an unfair sentencing.
Myung, who was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and taken into custody during the first trial, will also stand trial in the appeals proceedings.
Yoon was indicted on charges of conspiring with his spouse, Kim Keon-hee, to receive 58 opinion polls free of charge from Myung between June 2021 and March 2022.
In the first trial on the 13th, the court recognized 14 of the opinion polls as having been received free of charge, sentencing Yoon to two years in prison and an additional collection of approximately 13.96 million won.
The court determined that there was an implicit "consensus" between Yoon and his spouse and Myung regarding the conduction and provision of opinion polls, and that even if not promised in advance, Yoon exerted influence to secure the nomination of former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun as a reward.
However, the court ruled that the remaining 44 opinion polls could not be concluded as having been provided under an agreement with the couple, as Myung did not deliver them directly.
This ruling drew attention as it directly conflicted with separate cases where Kim was indicted on the same charges and acquitted in both the first and second trials.
The courts for Kim's first and second trials acquitted her, judging that Myung unilaterally provided the opinion polls without prior request or consultation for the purpose of his own polling firm Future Korea Institute's business operations or expanding political influence.
On the 23rd of last month, the Supreme Court changed and postponed the sentencing date, designating it for later (to be designated later), in order to refer Kim's final appeal case over political funds act violations to the full bench just a day before the scheduled ruling.
Postponement with designation to be determined later refers to rescheduling or delaying a hearing without setting the next specific date.
Initially, the Supreme Court ruling for Kim was scheduled for the 16th, but it was once postponed to the 24th after a request for delay by the special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki was accepted.
Meanwhile, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is accused of receiving opinion polls from Myung and having a sponsor pay for the costs, was sentenced to a 10 million won fine in the first trial on the 22nd.
Mayor Oh submitted an appeal immediately after the ruling.
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