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Punters draw fire for placing illegal bets on Yoon impeachment trial

Published: 17 Mar. 2025, 17:06

Protesters for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment rally at Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 15. [NEWS1]

As the clock counts down on the Constitutional Court's ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, the stakes are rising as punters place bets online and offline on the trial's results.

This is the first such betting in eight years since illegal gambling sites emerged in 2017 over the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

Multiple posts appeared on online communities on Sunday about people placing bets on the outcome of the impeachment trial with friends and acquaintances.

One user wrote that they placed a "patriotic bet" for impeachment dismissal in a 100,000-won ($69) wager with their friend. Another user posted that they are betting 100,000 won for impeachment approval and looking for someone to take the bet.

As Yoon’s impeachment trial has taken longer than any previous presidential impeachment case, interest in predicting the outcome has intensified. Over the weekend, protesters for and against the impeachment also speculated on the Constitutional Court’s decision using sports score formats.

“We need to practice celebrating,” said a commentator at an anti-impeachment rally. “The court will dismiss Yoon’s impeachment in a 4-4 ruling,” encouraging the crowd.

Meanwhile, at a pro-impeachment rally, participants chanted, “8-0 removal.”

The impeachment wagers have sparked controversy for “trivializing a grave and serious matter.”

“Minister Lee, let’s place a bet — your side on impeachment approval, mine on dismissal,” Seok Dong-hyun, Yoon’s legal representative, wrote on Facebook addressing former Legislation Minister Lee Seok-yeon last month.

“Regardless of who wins, I will donate 1 million won, while you, if you lose, should donate an amount equivalent to your broadcasting appearance fee to the Community Chest of Korea.”

Protesters against President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment rally at Sejong-daero in central Seoul, on March 15. [YONHAP]

Interest in illegal impeachment betting has also resurfaced. Posts on online communities ask about ways to place bets and inquire about fees on offshore gambling sites.

On Polymarket — the world’s largest prediction market — wagers totaling 22 billion won had been placed on Yoon’s impeachment trial as of Monday.

In a bet posted right after the Dec. 3 martial law declaration last year on whether Yoon would be impeached before April, 65 percent have placed their bets on “Yes.”

Established in 2020, the site is a cryptocurrency-based betting platform that allows users to predict elections and international events for profit.

Illegal gambling sites also thrived during former President Park’s impeachment trial in 2017. During the subsequent presidential election, illicit gambling platforms set different payout rates for candidates.

In Korea, all betting sites except Sports Toto, operated by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, are illegal. Sports Toto has an individual betting limit of 100,000 won.

“Even betting through foreign websites can be punished as gambling under the Criminal Act,” said Yang Tae-jung, an attorney at law firm Gwangya.

Concerns were raised that placing wagers on politically sensitive matters negatively affects public perception.

“Politics is about finding solutions through dialogue, but gambling on outcomes makes people focus only on winning and losing,” said Yoon Sung-yi, a political science professor at Kyung Hee University. “If people vote for a particular candidate just to win a bet, it could fundamentally undermine the election process.”

BY SEO JI-WON, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]