The Seoul High Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced former People Power Party floor leader Kweon Seong-dong to two years in prison for receiving illicit political funds from a senior Unification Church official ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
In explaining the sentence, the court said the case was “far more serious than an ordinary violation of the Political Funds Act” and warranted stern punishment.
The court also rebuked Kweon for denying the charges from the investigation stage despite evidence supporting the indictment.
Kweon was accused of illegally receiving 100 million won ($67,800) from Yun Young-ho, a former senior Unification Church official, in January 2022.
Prosecutors said the money was given with the expectation that Kweon would relay the church’s policy interests to then-presidential candidate Yoon Suk Yeol.
The case stems from a broader special counsel investigation into alleged ties between the Unification Church and senior political figures, including former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Yun was sentenced by the Seoul High Court on Monday to one year and six months in prison in a related case involving gifts to Kim and illegal political funds given to Kweon.
Kweon, a five-term lawmaker and former floor leader of the People Power Party, was arrested in September and indicted the following month.
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