Special counsel seeks prison term for Yoon

A special counsel on Monday sought a two-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign when he denied ever meeting shaman Jeon Seong-bae, known as Geonjin Beopsa, alongside his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

At a closing arguments hearing in Seoul Central District Court, the special counsel team investigating allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, led by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki, argued that Yoon warranted a stiff penalty. Prosecutors said he had repeatedly changed his account throughout the trial, misleading both the public and the court.

The special counsel argued that Yoon's claim that he and Kim had never met Jeon was intended to suggest there was no close relationship between the couple and the shaman. Investigators, however, concluded that Yoon, his wife and Jeon maintained close ties. Prosecutors also contended that the statement may have influenced the outcome of the closely fought 2022 presidential election, noting that Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party candidate Yoon were locked in a tight race throughout much of the campaign.

The case stems from remarks Yoon made during a media interview on Jan. 17, 2022, ahead of the presidential election. In the interview, he said he had been introduced to Jeon but had never met him with his wife present. Prosecutors allege that statement was false and subsequently indicted him. Yoon also faces allegations that he falsely denied introducing a lawyer to former Yongsan Tax Office chief Yoon Woo-jin, the brother of former senior prosecutor Yoon Dae-jin, a longtime associate.

In his final statement, Yoon denied any wrongdoing, insisting he had never made a false statement. He argued that, in the context of the interview, the question about whether Kim and Jeon had met referred specifically to a People Power Party New Year's event held at the Daeha Building in Yeouido on Jan. 1, 2022. Because neither he nor Kim encountered Jeon at that event, Yoon maintained that his remarks were truthful.

If Yoon ultimately receives a sentence that invalidates his election victory, including a fine of at least 1 million won, the People Power Party would be required to return 39.7 billion won in election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission after the 2022 presidential race. The court is scheduled to deliver its first-instance verdict on July 27.


송혜미 기자 1am@donga.com