Yoon Suk Yeol Acquitted in Appeal Over 'Myung Tae-gyun Poll' Scandal: Why Was the Ruling Overturned?

[Anchor]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was convicted in the first trial on charges of receiving complimentary public opinion polls from Myung Tae-gyun, was acquitted in his appellate trial. Attention is now focused on how this ruling will affect Kim Keonhee and Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun, who are standing trial over the same allegations.

Reporter Jang Hun-gyeong has the details.

[Reporter]

[Koo Hoe-keun, Presiding Judge, Criminal Division 7 of the Seoul High Court (yesterday): The original judgment is overturned. The defendants are each acquitted.]

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 7 overturned the first-trial ruling that sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison, acquitting him of charges that he received free public opinion poll results from Myung Tae-gyun.

The court ruled that "the poll results provided by Myung to former President Yoon served merely as a means for political advice."

[Koo Hoe-keun, Presiding Judge, Criminal Division 7 of the Seoul High Court (yesterday): While it might be seen as a political benefit, it is not of a nature that can be converted into a pecuniary benefit, making it difficult to view as a political fund contribution under the Political Funds Act.]

The court also did not recognize any intent to contribute political funds.

It stated that there is no direct evidence showing a meeting of minds, such as a request or agreement, between Myung and former President Yoon and his wife.

Attention is also focused on how this appellate ruling, which delivered an acquittal unlike the first trial, will influence the trials of Kim Keonhee and Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun regarding the "Myung Tae-gyun polls."

Kim Keonhee was acquitted in both the first and second trials and is awaiting the Supreme Court ruling, while Mayor Oh, who faces charges of having his poll costs paid for, was sentenced to a term in the first trial that would strip him of his mayoral position and is awaiting his appellate sentencing on October 23.

Mayor Oh's legal team submitted a phone recording as new evidence to the court, carrying the intent that "Oh Sehun knew nothing about the polls." Meanwhile, Myung, who was acquitted, maintained a sharp stance.

[Myung Tae-gyun: If you look through the statements Mayor Oh Sehun has been making for nearly two years now, I think you will be able to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth.]

Final judgments regarding those implicated in the so-called Myung Tae-gyun polls are expected to be settled by the Supreme Court going forward.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Video by Yang Hyun-chul | Video Editing by So Ji-hye)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.