Ousted South Korean President convicted for lying during campaign

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was convicted of making false statements during his presidential campaign in the latest verdict after he was removed from office last year over his brief imposition of martial law.

Yoon denied the charges, and his lawyers plan to appeal, arguing that the verdict was based on a misinterpretation of the facts and election law.

If upheld by higher courts, the ruling could financially cripple the conservative People Power Party by forcing it to return around 40 billion won (USD 27 million) in election expenses reimbursed by the Government after Yoon’s narrow victory over current liberal President Lee Jae Myung in 2022. Under South Korean law, the Government reimburses election expenses for candidates who receive more than 15% of the votes. The law requires those funds to be returned if the candidate is convicted of an election law violation punishable by a fine of 1 million won ($680) or heavier penalties.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, saying his false statements during the campaign may have affected voters’ “fair judgment” of the candidates.