An appeals court in South Korea has sentenced Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to a two-year prison term for accepting illegal political funds from the Unification Church. The Seoul High Court found him guilty of receiving 100 million won (US$68,000) in January 2022 from a church official seeking favors from the former administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The court upheld the ruling of a lower court in January, emphasizing the seriousness of the case and the necessity for severe punishment.
The judge at the sentencing hearing stated, “This case is far more serious than typical violations of the Political Funds Act, making severe punishment inevitable.” Despite the evidence supporting the charges, Kweon denied the crime from the investigation stage. The court also ordered Kweon to forfeit the 100 million won, in accordance with the lower court’s decision.
Kweon, a five-term lawmaker who was once considered a close confidant of Yoon, had claimed that he only met the church official for a meal and did not receive any money. His lawyers argued that the case did not fall under the special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team’s jurisdiction, which indicted him while investigating corruption allegations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee. However, the court rejected these claims and proceeded with the sentencing.
