Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday demanded a four-year prison term for opposition lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong on charges of accepting illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kweon, a member of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is accused of receiving 100 million won (US$67,570) from a former church official in 2022. The funds were allegedly given in exchange for Kweon’s assistance in securing policy favors for the church following the presidential election victory of then PPP candidate Yoon Suk Yeol later that year.

The former church official reportedly promised to mobilize church members’ votes in support of Yoon. In court, Park Sang-jin, a member of special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team, emphasized that as a prominent National Assembly member, Kweon had a responsibility to uphold constitutional values and protect citizens’ rights. Instead, Park argued, Kweon damaged these values and betrayed public trust by conspiring with the religious group to receive illegal political funds.

Park also accused Kweon of creating avenues for the church to exert influence over political decision-making. He criticized Kweon for prioritizing religious interests over his duties as a National Assembly member and for attempting to destroy evidence and showing a lack of remorse during the investigation.

Beyond the prison sentence, the special counsel team requested that the court impose a forfeit of 100 million won on Kweon. Known as one of Yoon’s close confidants, Kweon served as the PPP’s floor leader until June. The team arrested him in September and indicted him the following month.