Four-Year Prison Term Requested Again for Kwon Sungdong in Unification Church 100 Million Won Bribery Appeal

First Trial Sentences Kwon to Two Years in Prison

Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party, is attending the first trial of a case at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 3rd, involving allegations of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

The special prosecutor has demanded a heavy sentence in the appeals trial for Kwon Sungdong, a member of the People Power Party, who was indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

On April 21, the team of Special Prosecutor Min Junggi requested the same sentence as in the first trial—four years in prison and the forfeiture of 100 million won—at the sentencing hearing for Assemblyman Kwon's violation of the Political Funds Act, held before the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 2-1 (Presiding Judges Baek Seungyeop, Hwang Seungtae, and Kim Younghyeon).

The special prosecutor's team stated, "It is an undeniable fact that the defendant received 100 million won from former Unification Church World Headquarters Director Yoon Youngho," adding, "The sentence imposed in the first trial is lenient considering the severity of the crime." In January, the first trial sentenced Assemblyman Kwon to two years in prison and the forfeiture of 100 million won. The special prosecutor argued, "The defendant exploited his status as a five-term senior lawmaker to maintain a continuous relationship with President Han Hakja and others," and asserted, "This constitutes the private use of a National Assembly member's position."

Assemblyman Kwon is accused of receiving 100 million won from former Director Yoon in January 2022, along with requests for support for the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's religious group policies. Former Director Yoon was found guilty in the first trial of giving 100 million won in cash to Assemblyman Kwon and providing a Graff diamond necklace worth 62.2 million won and other valuables to First Lady Kim Keonhee, and was sentenced to one year and two months in prison.

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