Ex-lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk sentenced in Democratic Party money scandal

[Anchor]

Former lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk, who was indicted in the Democratic Party's money envelope scandal, has received a confirmed prison sentence of two years.

This is the first confirmed guilty verdict in this case.

Kim Tae-hoon reports.

[Report]

The Democratic Party convention in 2021, where former lawmaker Song Young-gil was elected as the representative.

A week before the convention, former lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk suggested to Song's camp to distribute money envelopes to lawmakers for his election. Youn was indicted for receiving twenty envelopes containing three million won on two occasions from Song's camp.

[Youn Kwan-suk/Former Independent Lawmaker/June 2023: "I will actively clarify my innocence and prove my innocence during the legal process."]

Former lawmaker Youn claimed that he only arranged the money envelopes in consultation with camp officials and did not instruct or demand it, but both the first and second trial courts recognized all of Youn's charges and sentenced him to two years in prison.

The Supreme Court also confirmed this, stating that there was no misunderstanding of the law in the original judgment.

With the confirmation of Youn's guilt for distributing money envelopes, there are expectations that it will impact the trials and investigations of former representative Song and the lawmakers who received the envelopes.

The prosecution had previously sought a five-year prison sentence for Youn during the first trial, and it is expected that they will seek a higher sentence for former representative Song at the sentencing hearing scheduled for Nov. 6.

Lawmaker Heo Jong-sik, who received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial, is currently undergoing appeal procedures, and if his sentence is confirmed, he will lose his position as a lawmaker.

[Heo Jong-sik/Democratic Party Lawmaker/Aug. 2023: "I have never seen or heard of money envelopes, so I have no choice but to appeal. Is the court a spokesperson for the prosecution?"]

The prosecution has notified six current opposition lawmakers, including Democratic Party lawmaker Baek Hye-ryun and the Rebuilding Korea Party's Hwang Un-ha, who are suspected of receiving money envelopes, to appear by Nov. 17.

The prosecution has requested these lawmakers to appear up to six times, but they have all refused.

KBS News, Kim Tae-hoon.