South Korean Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Former President Yoon Suk-yeol

The Seoul High Court announced on November 4, 2026, that it has upheld the first instance verdict against South Korean former President Yoon Suk-yeol, finding all charges against him established and rejecting his appeal.

Court Ruling and Sentencing

Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with a three-year probation. The second instance court determined that Yoon's statements during his tenure as the presidential candidate of the People Power Party constituted false statements. Specifically, the court found he falsely claimed, "I did not introduce a lawyer to the former director of the Onjeongno Tax Office, Yoon Woo-jin," during a December 2021 press event.

The court also convicted Yoon of making false statements regarding his meetings with shamanistic practitioners, specifically related to his ties to shaman Jeon Seong-bae during a January 2022 interview. In explaining the sentencing rationale, the second instance court stated that as a candidate recommended by a political party, Yoon Suk-yeol "had an obligation to provide voters with the information necessary to make correct judgments when running for president." The court concluded that by releasing false information, he "infringed upon voters' rights to make correct choices, damaging the fairness of the election and the legitimacy of the procedure."

Potential Election Invalidation

Under South Korea's "Public Office Election Act," if a person is sentenced to imprisonment or fined 1 million South Korean won (approximately 4,990 yuan) or more in a final judgment for violating the act, their election is considered invalid. In such cases, the candidate must return campaign expense compensation previously paid by the Central Election Commission. For candidates recommended by a political party, the party is responsible for returning the compensation.

If Yoon Suk-yeol's election is ruled invalid in the final judgment of this case, the People Power Party must return 3.97 billion won in campaign expense compensation received during the 2022 presidential election. This amount is approximately $29.6 million.

Background and Legal Context

Yoon Suk-yeol, who was removed from office following a failed martial law declaration in December 2024, faces additional legal challenges. In February, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection, a conviction that is currently under appeal.

Yoon's lawyers have stated they intend to appeal the recent Seoul High Court decision to the Supreme Court.

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Sources

• chinanews.com.cn (in Chinese): South Korean former President Yoon Suk-yeol's case on suspected violation of the "Public Office Election Act" upheld in second instance
• aa.com.tr: Election of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon could be invalidated as court upholds suspended sentence

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.