Seoul: A court in Seoul has convicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of violating election laws, placing the main opposition party, the People Power Party (PPP), at risk of returning nearly 40 billion won (approximately US$27.3 million) reimbursed for campaign expenses from the 2022 presidential election. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon to 18 months in prison, a sentence that is suspended for three years, after determining he made false statements as the PPP presidential candidate before the March 2022 election.

According to Yonhap News Agency, should the verdict be upheld through the appeals process, the PPP will be required to return 39.7 billion won reimbursed by the election watchdog following Yoon's 2022 election victory. Under election law, political parties receive reimbursement for campaign expenses if their presidential candidate secures at least 15 percent of the vote. However, they must return these funds if the candidate receives a finalized fine of at least 1 million won or a prison sentence for election law violations.

Yoon's legal team filed an appeal immediately after the judgment. "The ruling is very regrettable, and we believe there are grave errors in the findings of fact and application of law," they stated. "We find it extremely unfortunate that the People Power Party may have to bear the grave disadvantage of returning 40 billion won in election reimbursement money."

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had charged Yoon on suspicion of falsely stating during a December 2021 press event that he had never introduced a lawyer to a former tax official. Additionally, Yoon faced charges for lying in a January 2022 interview, where he claimed that a party official had introduced him to shaman Jeon Seong-bae, denying he met Jeon with his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

The court found Yoon guilty on both counts, agreeing with the special counsel's assertion that Yoon had indeed introduced the lawyer to the former tax official and that he had been introduced to Jeon by his wife. "The nature of the offense is very grave as false information was publicized on a matter that drew great voter interest," the court stated.

Min's team had sought a two-year prison sentence for Yoon. If the case progresses to the Supreme Court, a final ruling is anticipated by January next year. Under a special counsel law, cases covered by Min's team must conclude within six months during the first-instance trial, and within three months each at an appellate court and the Supreme Court.

This ruling marks the latest in a series of convictions for Yoon, who is facing multiple trials following his failed martial law attempt in December 2024. He received a life imprisonment sentence in February for leading an insurrection through his unsuccessful attempt, a ruling he has also appealed.