A special counsel team in South Korea has recommended a two-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol for violating the election law ahead of his 2022 presidential election. The recommendation was made by Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team at the Seoul Central District Court during the final hearing of Yoon’s trial for breaching the Public Officials Election Act while representing the People Power Party (PPP). Yoon is accused of making false claims during a debate in December 2021 and an interview in January 2022.
Yoon allegedly falsely stated during a debate that he did not introduce a lawyer to a former tax agency official and claimed in an interview that he had not met a shaman with his wife, contradicting evidence. The shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, who has connections to Yoon’s wife and was convicted of accepting bribes, has been a central figure in the case. The special counsel team argued that Yoon’s actions may have influenced the outcome of the 2022 presidential election, which he won by a narrow margin.
If Yoon is found guilty of election law violations and receives a final sentence of 1 million won (US$651) or more in fines, the PPP will need to refund approximately 39.7 billion won, which it received as reimbursement for its 2022 presidential election expenses. Yoon, who is currently in jail, is facing multiple trials, including one for his failed martial law attempt in December 2024, for which he was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection.
