Rep. Kweon Seong-dong attending trial [Yonhap News Photo]

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party, who was indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church, has been sentenced to two years in prison in his second trial.

The Criminal Division 2-1 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Baek Seung-yeop, Hwang Seung-tae, Kim Young-hyun) sentenced Rep. Kweon, who was arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, to two years in prison and a fine of 100 million won on the 28th, the same as the first trial.

The court found Rep. Kweon guilty of receiving 100 million won on January 5, 2022, from Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church's World Headquarters, along with a request for government support for the religious group under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

Rep. Kweon's side argued that while he had met with former headquarters head Yoon for a meal on that day, he did not receive any money. However, the court ruled that the charges were proven based on the evidence submitted by the special prosecutor's team.

Rep. Kweon's claims that the case was not included in the scope of investigation under the Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act and that key evidence was illegally collected and used were dismissed, as in the first trial.

The assertion that former headquarters head Yoon framed Rep. Kweon to escape embezzlement charges was also rejected.

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong attending trial [Yonhap News Photo]

The court stated the background for the sentencing, saying, "The nature of this crime is much more severe compared to ordinary violations of the Political Funds Act, making strict punishment unavoidable."

Specifically, the court criticized, "The political funds in this case were provided not merely as support for ordinary political activities but as a means for a specific religious group to gain access to state power in the future. This created a risk of collusion between political power and religion, fundamentally infringing upon the constitutional values of representative democracy and the principle of separation of church and state."

It continued, "As a five-term member of the National Assembly and a party leader, the defendant was obligated to prioritize national interests based on the duty of integrity stipulated by the Constitution. However, by receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church, he betrayed the public's expectations and his duties as a lawmaker."

Furthermore, the court stated, "As a legal expert, the defendant would have been clearly aware of the legal obligations of his actions. Despite the charges being proven by the evidence, he consistently denied the charges from the investigation stage and did not acknowledge his mistakes. Criminal punishment commensurate with his political position, authority, and responsibilities is unavoidable."

However, it noted that he did not actively demand money from former headquarters head Yoon, and that his 30 years of public service, contributions to national and social development, and service to the public are undeniable, considering these as mitigating factors.

Rep. Kweon listened to the sentencing while looking at the judges or with his eyes closed. Upon the conclusion of the trial, he left the courtroom with a stoic expression.

If the second trial's sentence is finalized as is, Rep. Kweon will lose his parliamentary seat in accordance with the National Assembly Act and the Public Official Election Act.