A first-instance ruling is set to be handed down for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was indicted on charges of making false statements, including claims that he had never met Jeon Seong-bae, a shaman known as "Geonjin Beopsa," during his presidential campaign.
According to legal circles on the 27th, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 21 (presiding judge Cho Soon-pyo) will hold a sentencing hearing for Yoon at 2 p.m. that day, after he was brought to trial on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. The sentencing will be broadcast live.
Yoon was brought to trial on charges of publicly making false statements during a Kwanhun Club-invited debate on December 14, 2021, during the 20th presidential election period, when he claimed he had never introduced or connected a lawyer to Yoon Woo-jin, a former chief of the Yongsan Tax Office and the elder brother of former prosecutor Yoon Dae-jin. He also faces charges of publicly making false statements in an interview on January 17 the following year, when he stated to the effect that regarding Jeon, "I have been introduced to him, but I have never met him together with my wife."
The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki sought a two-year prison term for Yoon at the final hearing last month. The special counsel argued that Yoon's remarks influenced the election result, considering the gap between approval ratings and vote share in the 20th presidential election. In particular, it pointed out that the relationship between Yoon and Jeon was a very important factor for voters in judging a presidential candidate. "After these remarks, the various suspicions surrounding Yoon subsided, and he was able to maintain his position as a leading presidential candidate," the special counsel said. "As a result, he was elected by the narrowest vote margin in constitutional history."
Yoon's side, meanwhile, acknowledges the fact of the remarks themselves but takes the position that they are not false statements contrary to objective fact. It also argued that the special counsel intentionally distorted the overall context of the interview.
If Yoon receives a confirmed sentence of a fine of 1 million won or more on these charges, the People Power Party (PPP) must return the election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission. The election expenses the PPP was reimbursed in the 20th presidential election amount to approximately 39.7 billion won.
