Kweon Seong-dong, a People Power Party lawmaker indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church, again faced a sentencing request of four years in prison on appeal.
The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee on Apr. 21 asked the court to sentence Kweon to four years in prison and a forfeiture of 100 million won—the same as the first-instance sentencing request—during the closing arguments in his case on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, heard by the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 2-1 (presiding judge Baek Seung-yeop, high court judge).
The special counsel said, "It is undeniable that the defendant received 100 million won from former Unification Church world headquarters chief Yoon Young-ho," adding, "The two-year prison term and forfeiture of 100 million won imposed by the lower court are lenient given the gravity of the crime." The counsel continued, "The defendant colluded with a specific religious group, the Unification Church, and received a large sum of illegal political funds amounting to 100 million won, and further played a role in linking the Unification Church and the president," adding, "Nevertheless, from the investigation stage to the courtroom, the defendant has shown no remorse."
The special counsel also said, "The defendant used the status of a five-term senior lawmaker to form ongoing collusive ties with figures including President Han Hak-ja," adding, "This was the private exploitation of a lawmaker's position." The counsel added, "The defendant attempted to destroy evidence by, among other things, meeting Yoon Young-ho to check on the status of the investigation," and said, "Given the motive and method of the crime, the gravity is extremely high, making a heavy sentence unavoidable."
Kweon was brought to trial on suspicion of receiving 100 million won in political funds in Jan. 2022 from former headquarters chief Yoon, along with requests for support for the denomination by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The court of first instance found Kweon guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison and a forfeiture of 100 million won.