A Seoul court gave ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol a two-year prison term for illegally receiving 14 manipulated opinion polls for free during his 2022 primary run.
The court said political broker Myung Tae-kyun supplied the polls between June and October 2021, and Yoon then pressured his party to help install former lawmaker Kim Young-sun in a 2022 by-election.
Myung received 1 1/2 years in the same case, while Yoon's lawyers said they would appeal Monday's ruling, arguing the evidence was insufficient.
The sentence adds to Yoon's mounting legal troubles: the Supreme Court last week upheld a seven-year term in another case, and he is also appealing a February life sentence on rebellion charges tied to his failed 2024 martial law bid.
Yoon, impeached after the brief Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration and later removed from office, now faces seven criminal trials in one of South Korea's biggest political crises in decades.
With convictions for rebellion and treason, could Yoon’s lesser sentence for fake polls be the one that truly seals his fate?
As a former president faces life for treason, how can a simple opinion poll pose a similar threat to democracy?
From Martial Law to Life Sentence: The Legal and Political Collapse of Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (2024–2026)
Overview
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was convicted on July 13, 2026, for manipulating polls and political funding, adding to his ongoing legal troubles. This conviction follows a previous life sentence in February for a rebellion charge linked to an alleged failed power grab. Yoon’s legal challenges began with his controversial martial law declaration, which triggered a series of court cases and public backlash. His legal team has announced plans to appeal the latest ruling, arguing that the evidence was insufficient. These events highlight a deepening crisis for Yoon, with multiple convictions and appeals shaping his post-presidency.