Special prosecutors again sought a prison term of one year and six months for Yoon Suk-yeol in his appeal trial

The special prosecutors' team has formally submitted its opinion that the sentence disqualifying former President Yoon Suk-yeol from holding elected office should be upheld in his appeal trial.

The Special Prosecutors' Position in the Appeal: What Was Requested

The Kim Geon-hee special prosecutors' team, led by Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki, asked the court to maintain the sentence handed down in the first trial for former President Yoon, who was indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. In the ongoing second trial at the Seoul High Court, the special prosecutors reportedly sought a prison sentence of one year and six months, suspended for three years — the same as the sentence imposed in the first trial.

The lower court found former President Yoon guilty of both counts of making false public statements. Under the Public Official Election Act, a conviction carrying a fine of 1 million won or more results in disqualification from elected office. A suspended prison sentence also meets this threshold, so a final conviction would carry far-reaching consequences. However, since Yoon has already left the presidency, he would not lose his position; instead, if the sentence is finalized, the question of repaying campaign speech expenses related to the 20th presidential election would become a practical issue. Upon finalization, the People Power Party would be required to return 39.7 billion won in government subsidies for the 20th presidential election to the National Election Commission.

Background and Key Issues

At the heart of the case are allegations that former President Yoon made false statements about his opponent during his presidential campaign. The special prosecutors determined that both statements were untrue and constituted the publication of false information capable of affecting the election outcome — findings the first-trial court accepted.

Yoon's legal team continues to maintain his innocence on all charges. His attorneys were reported to have stated during proceedings that they view him as "not guilty on all counts," and their appeal strategy centers on overturning the guilty verdicts altogether. The prosecution's request to uphold the suspended sentence thus stands in direct conflict with the defense's claim of complete innocence.

Under the Public Official Election Act, a final conviction carrying a fine of 1 million won or more triggers disqualification from elected office, requiring the relevant political party to return government election subsidies.

Sentencing Schedule and Political Fallout

The appellate ruling is scheduled for the 4th of next month. Depending on the outcome, the case could trigger a chain of consequences: the 39.7 billion won election cost repayment, the direction of any Supreme Court review, and a financial burden on the People Power Party. Analysts note that a large repayment obligation could deal a substantial blow to the party's operations.

If the case is appealed further, a final Supreme Court ruling is expected to take considerable time. The later the sentence is finalized, the longer the resolution of the repayment issue will be delayed. Both ruling and opposition parties are closely watching the verdict, but observers widely agree that legislative responses or serious political discussions are unlikely to gain traction before the judiciary issues its judgment.

The key question is how far the appellate court will go in accepting the special prosecutors' position. It could uphold the facts found in the first trial while adjusting the sentence, but it cannot be ruled out that some charges may be overturned. If the defense's innocence arguments are accepted, the case could result in a reversal and remand or an acquittal.

Either way, the ruling is expected to set a benchmark for the scope of the false-statement offense under the Public Official Election Act and the effectiveness of the disqualification regime. With sentencing set for the 4th of next month, legal and political circles are focused on the Seoul High Court.