Former DP lawmaker sentenced to 2 years in prison for 2021 DP convention bribe

Independent lawmaker Youn Kwan-suk, who left the Democratic Party last year, appears at the court in August 2023. [YONHAP]

The court has sentenced Independent Rep. Youn Kwan-suk for bribing members of the Democratic Party (DP) during the party’s 2021 convention.

If confirmed by the Supreme Court, this penalty could lead to the legislator losing his title.

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday acknowledged all allegations against the lawmaker, who had left the DP in May last year when the accusations first arose.

Youn was accused of distributing envelopes filled with cash to nearly 20 DP lawmakers in an attempt to influence votes that ultimately aided Song Young-gil in becoming the party’s leader.

The former DP leader, Song, is suspected of playing a significant role in setting the stage for the current party leader, Lee Jae-myung, to be selected as the party’s presidential candidate.

In December, the court approved an arrest warrant against Song.

On Wednesday, the court said that Youn and his accomplice, Kang Rae-koo, who received a 20-month prison sentence for the same allegations, severely damaged the credibility of democracy by interfering in the election.

The court emphasized the importance of transparency in elections, stating that even if certain practices were customary in past party leader elections, elections need to be transparent.

The court underscored the need to caution against wrongful customs and prevent such practices from recurring.

The latest court decision could have repercussions for other former and current DP lawmakers, including Kim Nam-kuk, who also left the DP amid controversy related to cryptocurrency investments during hearings at the National Assembly.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]