Story perspectives

Ex-President Yoon Gets Two-Year Prison Term for Illegal Poll Payments

7/14/2026

Summary

Yoon Sentenced

Seoul Central District Court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison on July 13, 2026.
The court ruled Yoon illegally accepted 14 opinion polls worth about 270 million won (? $180,000) from broker Myung Tae-kyun.
Prosecutors said Yoon repaid the broker by influencing lawmaker Kim Young-sun’s nomination for the June 2022 by-election.
Myung Tae-kyun received an 18-month prison term.
Yoon denied the charges and announced an appeal.

Summary

Lawmakers Oust Yoon

Lawmakers broke through a security cordon of armed soldiers and police at the National Assembly on Dec. 3, 2024 to overturn President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s martial-law decree.
Within hours the Assembly voted to repeal the martial-law order.
The liberal-led legislature impeached Yoon, leading the Constitutional Court to remove him later that month.
Yoon’s legal team announced an appeal while the court called 14 opinion polls from Myung Tae-kyun manipulated data violating political-funding law.

Summary

Yoon Warns

After postponements from the June 23 date, the court’s July 13 ruling imposed a two-year prison term and a 13.96 million-won forfeiture.
Broker Myung Tae-kyun was taken into custody in the courtroom over fears he might destroy evidence.
President Yoon Suk-yeol said he was “fine” but warned about the judiciary’s future.
Defense lawyers said the conviction conflicts with First Lady Kim Keon-Hee’s acquittal, a case for which prosecutors had sought a 137.2 million-won fine.

1 of 3

Yoon Sentenced

Seoul Central District Court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison on July 13, 2026.
The court ruled Yoon illegally accepted 14 opinion polls worth about 270 million won (? $180,000) from broker Myung Tae-kyun.
Prosecutors said Yoon repaid the broker by influencing lawmaker Kim Young-sun’s nomination for the June 2022 by-election.
Myung Tae-kyun received an 18-month prison term.
Yoon denied the charges and announced an appeal.

1 / 3