Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was put on trial on charges of publishing false information during the 20th presidential election campaign, has been sentenced to a prison term with a stay of execution in the first trial.

If this sentence is finalized, the People Power Party will have to return 39.7 billion won in election expenses reimbursed during the presidential election to the National Election Commission.

The 21st Criminal Settlement Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Cho Soon-pyo) sentenced former President Yoon, who was indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, to one year and six months in prison with a three-year suspended sentence today (July 27).

The court found former President Yoon guilty of the charge of making false statements to the effect that "he never introduced lawyer Lee (formerly of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Central Investigation Department) to former police station chief Yoon Woo-jin" during an invitation debate hosted by the Kwanhun Club on December 14, 2021, when he was a presidential candidate.

The court also ruled as guilty the charge of publishing false information to the effect that "he was introduced to Jeon Seong-bae, known as Kunjin Beopsa, by a party official and has never met him together with First Lady Kim" during an interview at the inauguration ceremony of the Buddhism Leaders Forum on January 17, 2022.

This means the court accepted the investigation results from the special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki, which concluded that former President Yoon actually introduced lawyer Lee to former police station chief Yoon, and that he first met Jeon through First Lady Kim and maintained a relationship with him for over 10 years.

According to the Public Official Election Act, if a presidential candidate is elected or secures a vote share of 15 percent or higher, the Election Commission reimburses the full amount of election expenses.

However, if a sentence invalidating the election (a fine of 1 million won or more) is subsequently finalized, the political party must return all of it.

(Photo: Provided by Seoul Central District Court, Yonhap News)