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// DOSSIER — ousted-south-korean-president-yoon-suk-yeol-convicted
Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Convicted of Campaign Violations
REL_TIME: 28 Jul 2026 06:27Z · LANG: EN
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, after convicting him of making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign. Yoon was found guilty of lying about his ties to shaman Jeon Seong-bae and falsely denying that he introduced a defense attorney to a former tax official under bribery investigation. Yoon denied wrongdoing and announced plans to appeal. If upheld by the Supreme Court, the conviction will invalidate his election victory and require his former party, the People Power Party, to return nearly 40 billion won ($27.1 million) in state-reimbursed election expenses.
// Background
Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly won the South Korean presidential election in 2022 by a 0.7 percentage point margin. On December 3, 2024, Yoon issued a brief martial law declaration that was quickly overturned by lawmakers, leading to his impeachment and removal from office in April 2025. He faces multiple criminal prosecutions, including a life sentence handed down in February 2026 for insurrection and a seven-year sentence upheld by the Supreme Court for resisting law enforcement and bypassing Cabinet deliberations.
// Key Developments
- Yoon Suk Yeol received an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, for violating election laws during his 2022 presidential campaign.
- The Seoul Central District Court ruled Yoon lied regarding his relationship with shaman Jeon Seong-bae and his past introduction of a defense attorney to a tax official.
- Yoon's legal team announced an immediate appeal, claiming the ruling misinterprets facts and election law.
- A finalized conviction would require Yoon's People Power Party to repay 39.7 billion won ($27.1 million) in reimbursed election campaign costs.
- This conviction is part of seven ongoing criminal trials facing Yoon, who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for insurrection tied to his December 2024 martial law declaration.
// Timeline
-
Yoon falsely denies during a news conference that he introduced a defense lawyer to a former tax official under bribery investigation.
-
Yoon falsely downplays his and his wife's connection to shaman Jeon Seong-bae during a televised campaign interview.
-
Yoon declares a brief late-night martial law decree, creating a major political crisis before Parliament votes to repeal it.
-
Yoon is officially removed from the presidency over the martial law attempt.
-
A lower court sentences Yoon to life in prison for insurrection related to martial law.
-
Seoul Central District Court convicts Yoon of campaign election law violations, handing him an 18-month suspended sentence.
// Perspectives
[Seoul Central District Court]
Found Yoon guilty, emphasizing that false statements delivered during high-impact public campaign events significantly distort voters' decision-making.
[Yoon Suk Yeol and Legal Team]
Denied all wrongdoing and initiated an appeal, arguing that the court misinterpreted facts and South Korean election law.
[People Power Party]
Stated through spokesperson Park Sung-hoon that the legal process is not finalized until the Supreme Court issues a final ruling.
[Prosecution]
Sought a two-year prison sentence, arguing that Yoon's false statements deflected critical scrutiny during a presidential election decided by just 0.7 percentage points.
// Quotes
“When a candidate personally announces false information at public events with a large impact, such as debates and interviews, the effect on voters' decision making is very significant.”
