Yoon Suk Yeol convicted of violating election law, PPP faces $27 mil. repayment

Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced Monday to one and a half years in prison, suspended for three years, for making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign, a ruling that would require the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to return 39.7 billion won ($27.05 million) in campaign reimbursements.

Yoon, the PPP's candidate in the March 2022 presidential election, was indicted in December 2025 on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act by allegedly making false statements during the campaign.

Under the Public Official Election Act, a candidate whose election is invalidated after receiving a disqualifying sentence for an election-related offense must return any campaign reimbursements paid by the National Election Commission (NEC).

The case drew particular attention because, if Yoon is ultimately sentenced to a fine of 1 million won ($720) or more, the PPP would be required to return 39.7 billion won in campaign expense reimbursements to the NEC.

Prosecutors said that during a Kwanhun Club forum on Dec.

14, 2021, Yoon falsely claimed he had never in ...