'False Asset Declaration' Yang Jeong-suk 2nd Trial 'Maintains Assembly Member Status' Fined

Independent lawmaker Yang Jeong-suk attended the launch event of the National Assembly Education and Culture Forum and the seminar on the achievements and future tasks of promoting the complexification of 생활SOC schools held at the National Assembly on the 23rd, adjusting her mask. Lawmaker Yang is under suspicion of violating the real-name system for real estate and tax evasion. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Independent lawmaker Yang Jeongsuk (57), who was prosecuted for underreporting her assets during the 21st general election, avoided disqualification by receiving a reduced sentence in the appellate court.

On the afternoon of the 15th, the Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Lee Wonbeom, Han Gisu, Nam Woohyun) overturned the first trial's verdict, which had sentenced her to a fine of 3 million won for violating the Public Official Election Act, and acquitted her. Regarding the false accusation charges, the appellate court overturned the first trial's sentence of 8 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspended sentence and instead imposed a fine of 10 million won. According to the law, a member of the National Assembly loses their seat if they receive a fine of 1 million won or more for violating the Public Official Election Act, or a confirmed sentence of imprisonment or higher (including suspended sentences) for general criminal cases.

Previously, ahead of the 2020 general election, Representative Yang was prosecuted for intentionally omitting the share of a commercial property in Songpa-gu, held under her younger brother's name, when reporting assets to the Election Commission, thereby publicly disclosing false information. In addition to the Songpa commercial property share, she was accused of holding three other real estate properties?an apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, an apartment share in Songpa-gu, and an officetel in Yongsan-gu?under borrowed names, and falsely suing party officials and journalists who raised related suspicions for defamation.

The appellate court ruled that Representative Yang only held one officetel in Yongsan-gu under a borrowed name, and the other three properties were not held as such. Furthermore, the court stated, "It is difficult to conclude that the defendant solely used the bank accounts under her name, and payment details for the purchase price were not confirmed," adding, "The prosecution's facts cannot be considered proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

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