What is Yoon Suk Yeol accused of in the free opinion poll case?

Yoon Suk Yeol is accused of colluding with Kim Keon Hee to receive 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won from Myung Tae-kyun without payment between April 2021 and March 2022, allegedly violating the Political Funds Act.

Why did the lower court convict Yoon Suk Yeol on only 14 opinion polls?

The lower court found that 14 polls amounted to illegal political donations because they were received with the couple’s consent. It ruled that the remaining 44 occasions could not be shown to have been provided with their consent.

What sentence are prosecutors seeking for Yoon Suk Yeol in the appellate trial?

Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team is seeking a four-year prison sentence for Yoon in the appellate trial, after the lower court imposed a two-year prison term for violating the Political Funds Act.

Appeals court set to rule on ex-President Yoon's trial over free opinion polls

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Summary

The Seoul High Court was set to rule Wednesday in Seoul on former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s appeal over free opinion polls received before the 2022 presidential election. A lower court sentenced Yoon to two years in prison under the Political Funds Act after finding 14 of 58 polls constituted illegal political donations. Prosecutors are seeking a four-year prison term. Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, was acquitted in separate lower-court trials and awaits a Supreme Court ruling.

Key Facts

The polls were allegedly provided by self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022.
The 58 opinion polls were valued at about 270 million won ($202,000) in total.
The lower court ruled that the other 44 polls could not be considered to have been provided with Yoon and Kim’s consent.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team indicted Yoon on allegations that he colluded with Kim in receiving the polls for free.
Yoon is facing multiple criminal trials following his failed 2024 martial law bid and subsequent removal from office.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 7, 2026 9:14 am KST

An appellate court was set to rule Wednesday on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's charges of receiving free opinion polls ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

The Seoul High Court was scheduled to hand down its ruling for Yoon at 2 p.m. after a lower court sentenced him to two years in prison on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team earlier indicted Yoon on charges of colluding with his wife and receiving 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won ($202,000) in total for free from self-proclaimed power broker, Myung Tae-kyun, between April 2021 and March 2022.

The lower court convicted Yoon on 14 of the occasions, ruling they amounted to illegal political donations. It said the other 44 times could not be seen as being given with the couple's consent.

The special counsel team has sought a four-year prison term for Yoon.

His wife, Kim Keon Hee, was acquitted of the same charges in her separate first- and second-instance trials. She is awaiting a final ruling from the Supreme Court.

Yoon is standing multiple criminal trials following his failed 2024 martial law bid and subsequent ouster from office.

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