'Embezzlement of Donations' Yoon Mi-hyang Sentenced to Imprisonment in 2nd Trial... Sentence Causes Loss of Parliamentary Seat

Yoon Mi-hyang, an independent lawmaker (58) who was prosecuted for embezzling funds donated to the Justice Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeon), was sentenced to imprisonment in the appellate court. If a sitting member of the National Assembly is sentenced to imprisonment or higher (including suspended sentences), they lose their seat according to the National Assembly Act and the Public Official Election Act.

Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who is accused of privately misappropriating donations to the Justice Memory Solidarity (Jeonguiyeon), is attending the second trial sentencing hearing for the 'Jeonguiyeon donation embezzlement' case at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 20th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 20th, the Criminal Division 1-3 of the Seoul High Court (Chief Judge Ma Yong-ju) overturned the first trial's verdict, which had sentenced Yoon to a fine of 15 million won for violating the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations and embezzlement, and instead sentenced her to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 3-year suspended sentence. Unlike the first trial court, which found that Yoon embezzled 17 million won for personal use, the appellate court judged that she embezzled about 80 million won.

Yoon was prosecuted for violating the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations by raising 4.1 billion won in donations through a group account without registering with the competent authorities from 2015 to 2019, and raising 170 million won in donations through a personal account. She was also charged with embezzling about 100 million won of funds raised through the personal account for personal use (embezzlement in office), receiving 300 million won in subsidies from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Seoul City under false pretenses (violation of the Subsidy Act), among other charges. Additionally, she was accused of quasi-fraud by exploiting the mental disability of grandmother Gil Won-ok, who was diagnosed with severe dementia, to make her donate 50 million won out of a 100 million won women's human rights award to the foundation, and of breach of trust for purchasing the Gyeonggi Anseong shelter for comfort women victims at a price higher than the market value.

During the sentencing hearing, the prosecution requested the court to sentence her to 5 years in prison, stating, "She was running a very important organization and should have shown a demeanor worthy of society's support and expectations." The prosecution added, "Please make a sober judgment on whether it is appropriate to collect donations from many people and use them without supervision or control, and whether it is lawful to extract money from an elderly person with severe dementia." They also said, "Among the various allegations that began with the issue raised by comfort women victim grandmother Lee Yong-soo, the indictment includes illegal matters confirmed through investigation."

Previously, the first trial court recognized only some charges of embezzlement for personal use of 17 million won kept in the corporate account and sentenced Yoon to a fine of 15 million won. If the sentence from the second trial is confirmed by the Supreme Court, Yoon will lose her seat in the National Assembly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.