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Suspended prison sentence finalized for lawyer convicted over illegal campaign funding

Published: 11 Apr. 2025, 15:49

Lawyer and former host of YouTube channel HoverLab, Inc. Kang Yong-seok attends a trial at Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul. [YONHAP]

A suspended prison sentence for lawyer and former YouTube commentator Kang Yong-seok was finalized last month over charges of providing illegal campaign funds ahead of the 2022 local elections.

Kang, who has previously faced multiple convictions — including for illegal electioneering, defamation of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and inciting false accusations — now faces a longer suspension of his legal license, which will remain in effect until 2030.

The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling on March 27 that sentenced Kang to a year and 6 months in prison, suspended for three years, on charges including violations of the Public Official Election Act.

Kang ran as an independent candidate for Gyeonggi governor in the local elections on June 1, 2022. He was indicted for illegally using part of a 660 million won ($455,520) wire transfer made to a company run by his brother-in-law to fund campaign activities.

Kang also inflated payments for services to another company that supported his campaign and paid 3 million won ($2,230) to a staffer at his far-right YouTube channel, HoverLab, in return for work on press releases and social media content related to the election.

Both the district and appeals courts found him guilty of the main charges and issued the suspended sentence. He was acquitted, however, of separate charges of illegally providing meals to campaign workers and submitting false materials to the election commission.

Despite appeals from both Kang and prosecutors, the Supreme Court ruled that there were no errors in the appellate decision and dismissed the case.

Kim Se-eui, a fellow HoverLab host who was indicted alongside Kang, was sentenced to a 4 million won fine in the lower courts. He did not file an appeal, and the ruling was finalized earlier.

Kang parted ways with Kim and left the YouTube channel in 2022 following internal conflict over the lawyers' gubernatorial bid.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]