Appeals Court to Deliver Ruling Today in Yoon Seok-yeol Election Act Case Involving PPP's 39.7 Billion Won

[Anchor]

The appellate ruling for former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was indicted on charges of making false statements during his presidential campaign, will be delivered today (November 4). If the appeals court upholds a sentence of a fine of 1 million won or more that would invalidate his election, and this ruling is finalized, the People Power Party will have to return all 39.7 billion won in election expenses reimbursed from the 20th presidential election.

Reporter Park Yerim.

[Reporter]

In December 2021, former President Yoon Seok-yeol, then the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, stated during a Kwanhoon Club debate, "I have never introduced a lawyer to former Yongsan Tax Office Chief Yoon Woo-jin."

[Yoon Seok-yeol / Former President (December 2021): I knew Chief Yoon Woo-jin because he is the older brother of a close junior colleague, but there was never any such inappropriate behavior...]

In January 2022, at a Buddhist Leaders Forum event, he said regarding Jeon Seong-bae, also known as "Geonjin Beobsa," "I was introduced to him by a party official and have never met him together with Kim Keon-hee."

The special counsel indicted former President Yoon on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, viewing both statements as the publication of false information.

The first-instance court found him guilty on both charges and sentenced former President Yoon to one year and six months in prison with a three-year suspension of execution.

Starting at 2 p.m. today, the Seoul High Court is scheduled to deliver its appellate ruling on the case.

The key issues are the verdict of guilt or innocence and the severity of the sentence.

This is because the Public Official Election Act stipulates that if an elected official's election is invalidated, their affiliated political party must return the election expenses it was reimbursed.

If the appeals court also issues a guilty verdict along with a sentence of a fine of 1 million won or more equivalent to the invalidation of the election, and this ruling is later finalized, the People Power Party must return the 39.7 billion won in election expenses reimbursed from the 20th presidential election.

During the sentencing hearing, the special counsel argued that former President Yoon's statements must be seen as having had a significant impact on the election results, and requested the same sentence as in the first trial.

Former President Yoon's legal team maintained their innocence, arguing that the remarks cannot be regarded as the publication of false information.

Today's appellate sentencing hearing is scheduled to be broadcast live.

(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News / Video reporting: Yang Hyun-cheol, Video editing: Kim Jong-tae)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.