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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial of his charges for violating the Public Official Election Act. The court ruled that false statements made during the presidential election hindered voters from making proper decisions. If this ruling is finalized, the People Power Party will have to return approximately 40 billion won in election expenses.
Reporter Shin Yong-il has the details.
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[Verdict: The defendant is sentenced to one year and six months in prison. However, the execution of this sentence is suspended for three years from the date this judgment becomes final.]
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act for making false statements during his candidacy in the 20th presidential election, to one year and six months in prison with a three-year suspended sentence.
The first-instance court ruled both controversial statements to be guilty.
First, the court determined that the statement made during an interview in January 2022 to the effect that "I was introduced to Jeon Seong-bae, known as 'Geonjin Beobsa,' by a party official, and I have never met him together with Kim Keon-hee" constituted the "publication of false facts."
The court concluded that he intentionally concealed his relationship with Jeon Seong-bae, which he had maintained for a long time prior to the election.
[Cho Soon-pyo / Presiding Judge, Criminal Settlement Division 21, Seoul Central District Court: The defendant portrayed his relationship with a figure who had maintained a close personal connection with him since around 2013 and repeatedly provided advice on his personal and political standing as if they had merely met by chance during the election process.]
The court also concluded that the statement made during a debate in December 2021 to the effect that "I have never introduced a lawyer from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Central Investigation Department to former Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woo-jin" was likewise false.
[Cho Soon-pyo / Presiding Judge, Criminal Settlement Division 21, Seoul Central District Court: It is reasonable to view that (Yoon Suk Yeol) introduced him to Yoon Woo-jin by having someone contact Yoon Woo-jin using his name.]
The court rebuked that these false statements made during the election process infringed upon the public's sound decision-making.
[Cho Soon-pyo / Presiding Judge, Criminal Settlement Division 21, Seoul Central District Court: (In particular, the shamanism controversy) was the publication of false facts regarding a matter in which voters showed a very high level of interest, and its culpability is extremely heavy.]
If the sentence is finalized, the People Power Party must return a total of 39.7 billion won, including election expenses from the 20th presidential election.
During the judge's delivery of the sentence, former President Yoon sat down and conversed with his legal counsel.
Following the ruling, former President Yoon's side immediately appealed, claiming there were numerous errors in the court's judgment, while the special counsel team expressed gratitude for the court's hard work.
(Camera: Yang Hyun-chul | Video Editing: Kim Yoon-sung | Graphics: Hwang Se-yeon)
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