Court Sentences Yoon Suk Yeol to Two Years for Illegal Polls

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison on Monday, July 13, 2026, for violating the Political Funds Act. The court found that Yoon illegally received 14 opinion polling services worth approximately 270 million won from political broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022. These polls helped Yoon secure his party's 2022 presidential nomination.

In a quid pro quo arrangement, the court ruled that Yoon used his influence to support former lawmaker Kim Young-sun's nomination for the People Power Party in the June 2022 parliamentary by-elections. Myung Tae-kyun received an 18-month prison sentence. The court also ordered Yoon to pay a forfeiture of 13.96 million won.

This verdict diverges from a separate case where former first lady Kim Keon Hee was acquitted of similar charges. Yoon's legal team intends to appeal the decision. This conviction is one of several Yoon faces, including a life term for a 2024 insurrection and a 30-year term for treason.

The ruling increases legal pressure on Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who faces a July 22 ruling on similar charges of accepting illegal funds and polls from Myung. A fine of 1 million won or more would force Oh to resign as mayor.