Special Counsel Seeks Four-Year Prison Term for Rep. Kweon Seong-dong

A special counsel team on Tuesday sought a four-year prison term for Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in his appellate trial on charges of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team requested the sentence during the final trial hearing at the Seoul High Court, matching the recommendation it made during a lower court trial.

Kweon was sentenced in the initial trial to two years in prison for accepting 100 million won (US$68,000) in illegal political funds from a church official in January 2022, along with requests for favors from the former administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"(Kweon) received a large amount of illegal political funds worth 100 million won in collusion with the Unification Church, and furthermore bridged the church and the president," a special counsel team member said.

"Even so, from the investigation to the courtroom, he has not shown any remorse."

The five-term lawmaker was known to be one of ousted former President Yoon's close confidants and served as the PPP's floor leader until June 2025.

The special counsel team placed him under arrest in September and indicted him the following month.

In addition to the prison sentence, the team asked the Seoul High Court to charge Kweon with a forfeit of 100 million won. The lower court had upheld that request.