Special counsel demands 4-year prison term for opposition lawmaker over funds from Unification Church

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party attends his trial on charges of accepting illegal political funds from the Unification Church at the Seoul Central District Court, Nov. 3. Joint Press Corps

A special counsel team on Wednesday demanded a four-year prison term for opposition lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong on charges of accepting illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

Kweon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is accused of receiving 100 million won ($67,570) from a former church official in 2022 in exchange for his help in gaining policy favors for the church following the presidential election of then PPP candidate Yoon Suk Yeol later that year.

The former church official allegedly promised to also mobilize the votes of church members in support of Yoon.

"As a prominent member of the National Assembly, the defendant, more than others, had a responsibility to work to defend constitutional values and protect the rights and interests of the people, but he damaged constitutional values and betrayed the people's trust by conspiring with a certain religious group to receive 100 million won in political funds," Park Sang-jin, a member of special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, said at the trial at the Seoul Central District Court.

Park further accused the lawmaker of opening channels for the church to exert influence over political circles and have their interests addressed.

"He subordinated the status of a National Assembly member to private and religious interests," he said, adding the lawmaker deserved a heavy sentence for trying to destroy evidence in the investigation process and showing an unrepentant attitude.

In addition to the prison sentence, the team asked the court to charge Kweon a forfeit of 100 million won.

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

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