Procedures have begun to revoke the lawyer registration of former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, whose two-year prison term was finalized for receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

The Korean Bar Association announced on the 14th that it has received an order from the Ministry of Justice to revoke former lawmaker Kwon's lawyer registration.

Following the relevant procedures, the Korean Bar Association plans to cancel former lawmaker Kwon's lawyer registration within this week.

Under the Attorney-at-Law Act, if a person registered on the roll of attorneys receives a final prison sentence of imprisonment without prison labor or heavier, they fall under the disqualification grounds, and the Minister of Justice must order the Korean Bar Association to revoke their registration.

Former lawmaker Kwon was indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church in exchange for favors regarding the church's support under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. On July 16, the Supreme Court finalized his sentence of two years in prison and an additional collection of 100 million won.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, he also lost his parliamentary seat.

According to the Public Official Election Act and the National Assembly Act, if a fine of 1 million won or more is finalized for the crime of illegal political fund acceptance, one loses their parliamentary seat.

Former lawmaker Kwon passed the bar examination in 1985, worked as a prosecutor, and opened a law practice in 2006.

Later, during the Lee Myung-bak administration from 2008 to 2009, he served as the Presidential Secretary for Legal Affairs and entered politics by winning a by-election for the National Assembly in 2009.

Previously, the Korean Bar Association revoked the lawyer registrations of former President Yoon, whose 7-year prison sentence was finalized for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, and former Senior Prosecutor Kim Sang-min, whose suspended prison sentence was finalized for charges including handing over an expensive painting while lobbying for a nomination to Kim Keon-hee.

(Photo: Yonhap News)