Seoul court upholds ex-president Yoon's election conviction

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in December 2024, ordering troops to shut down parliament, before lawmakers defied the military to vote down the decree.

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea on Jan 21, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool)

SEOUL: A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday (Nov 4) upheld former president Yoon Suk Yeol's 18-month suspended sentence for spreading disinformation on the campaign trail, a ruling that could force the opposition to repay nearly US$30 million.

The ruling is a largely symbolic blow for the disgraced ex-leader, who has already been sentenced to life imprisonment for insurrection.

Yoon declared martial law in December 2024, ordering troops to shut down parliament, before lawmakers defied the military to vote down the decree.

The 65-year-old was subsequently impeached and removed from office, and has since faced a slew of criminal prosecutions.

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Wednesday's ruling affirmed a lower court verdict that found Yoon guilty of violating election laws by making false statements during his campaign, including lying about his ties to a shaman.

"The defendant, who had a duty to provide voters with accurate information on which to base their judgement, disseminated disinformation," the presiding judge said during the televised sentencing at the Seoul High Court.

"From the investigation stage through to the trial proceedings, the defendant has consistently resorted to excuses," the judge added.

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Yoon, wearing a white shirt and dark jacket, showed no emotion when the judge announced that his appeal was rejected.

Yoon's legal team said the ruling was "unjust" and imposed a penalty "without adequately considering the context", adding that it would appeal to the Supreme Court.

If the ruling is upheld by South Korea's top court, the People Power Party - Yoon's former party - would be forced to repay 39.7 billion won (US$29.6 million) to the National Election Commission.

The ruling could also invalidate Yoon's 2022 presidential election victory.

A South Korean court has found former president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of masterminding an insurrection over his short-lived martial law bid in 2024. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment. According to the judge, Mr Yoon conspired with his then-defence minister, Kim Yong Hyun, to subvert the constitutional order by deploying troops to parliament. Mr Yoon denies the charges and is expected to appeal the ruling. He still faces a series of other trials linked to the martial law case and is currently serving jail time for a separate conviction. Lim Yun Suk with more from Seoul.

Under South Korean law, the National Election Commission reimburses political parties for their campaign expenses if their candidates win at least 15 per cent of the vote, a measure designed to limit the influence of money in politics.

However, if a candidate is imprisoned or fined at least 1 million won for election-related offences, their election is invalidated and their party must return the funds.

The amount the PPP could be forced to repay represents roughly one-third of the beleaguered party's assets, according to election commission filings.

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