A court again sentenced People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong to prison on appeal for allegedly receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church.
The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 2-1 (Judges Baek Seung-yeop, Hwang Seung-tae and Kim Young-hyeon) on the 28th dismissed both the appeals by Kweon and by the special prosecutor in the case involving alleged violations of the Political Funds Act. As a result, Kweon again received the same sentence as in the first trial: two years in prison and an order to forfeit 100 million won.
The court said the sentence imposed by the first trial was reasonable as a matter of sentencing rationale.
Specifically, it said the gravity of this matter exceeds that of a typical Political Funds Act offense and that a heavy punishment is unavoidable.
The court said, "This case went beyond the mere meaning of supporting political activity and created a risk of forming a collusive relationship between political power and a particular religion," adding, "It fundamentally infringed the constitutional value that politics and religion must be separate."
However, it noted that Kweon did not actively demand money or valuables from former Unification Church world headquarters chief Yoon Young-ho, and it also considered that Kweon contributed to the nation and society through 30 years of public service. It also reflected that Kweon has no other criminal record.
Kweon was indicted on charges that in January 2022 he received 100 million won in political funds along with a request for support of the denomination by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration from former Deputy Minister Yoon.
In the first trial in Jan., the court sentenced Kweon to two years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of 100 million won. The outcome could change at the Supreme Court depending on a further appeal, but if this ruling is finalized as is, Kweon will lose his parliamentary seat. Running for election will also be impossible for the next 10 years.
Kweon's side argued that this case does not fall within the scope of investigation under the Kim Keon-hee special counsel act and that key evidence was illegally collected and used, but the court, as in the first trial, did not accept those claims.
Meanwhile, at the appellate sentencing hearing on the 21st in Kweon's Political Funds Act violation case, the special prosecutor asked the court to impose the same sentence sought in the first trial: four years in prison and a forfeiture of 100 million won.