Court set to rule on ex-President Yoon's election law violation case

A Seoul district court was set to rule Monday on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's election law violation charges in a case that could have major implications for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

The Seoul Central District Court was scheduled to hand down its verdict in a live-televised trial at 2 p.m. over allegations that Yoon made false claims as the PPP's presidential candidate ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

Should Yoon be convicted and given a final sentence of more than 1 million won ($685) in fines or imprisonment, the PPP must return the 39.7 billion won it was reimbursed in election expenses under the election law.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki has requested a two-year prison term for Yoon.

Min's team earlier indicted Yoon on suspicion of falsely claiming during a December 2021 press event that he had never introduced a lawyer to a former tax official.

Yoon is also accused of lying in a January 2022 interview when he said a party official had introduced him to shaman Jeon Seong-bae and denied meeting Jeon together with his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

The special couns ...