[Anchor]

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol, indicted for making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign, has been sentenced in the first trial to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years. The court determined that his remarks at the time influenced voters' sound decision-making. If this sentence is finalized, the People Power Party will be required to return all 39.7 billion won in election expenses reimbursed during the presidential campaign.

For our first story, reporter Shin Yong-il has the details.

[Reporter]

[Verdict: The Defendant is sentenced to one year and six months in prison. However, 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 Seok-yeol—who was brought to trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by making false statements during the 20th presidential campaign—to one year and six months in prison with a three-year suspension.

The first-instance court ruled both controversial remarks to be guilty.

First, the court determined that remarks made during an interview in January 2022—to the effect that "I was introduced to Jeon Seong-bae, known as the shaman Geonjin, by a party official, and I have never met him together with Kim Keon-hee"—constituted the "publication of false facts."

The court stated that he intentionally concealed his long-standing relationship with Jeon Seong-bae, which had continued for a long time prior to the election.

[Cho Soon-pyo / Presiding Judge, Criminal Settlement Division 21, Seoul Central District Court: The defendant made his relationship with a person who had maintained a close personal relationship with him since around 2013, and from whom he repeatedly received advice regarding his personal and political standing, appear as though they were simply introduced by chance during the election process.]

The court also concluded that statements 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"—were also false.

[Cho Soon-pyo / Presiding Judge, Criminal Settlement Division 21, Seoul Central District Court: It is reasonable to view that (Yoon Seok-yeol) introduced him to Yoon Woo-jin by having someone contact Yoon Woo-jin using his own 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: (Particularly regarding the shamanism controversy,) publishing false facts concerning a matter in which voters had an extremely high level of interest carries a very heavy degree of culpability.]

If today's (July 27) ruling 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 attorney.

Following the ruling, former President Yoon's legal team immediately appealed, arguing that there were numerous errors in the court's judgment, while the special counsel team expressed gratitude for the court's hard work.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Shin Yong-il | Video by Yang Hyun-chul | Video Editing by Kim Yoon-sung | Graphics by Hwang Se-yeon