Ex-DP leader files appeal against 2-year sentence over illegal political funds

Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), filed an appeal Monday after getting a 2-year prison sentence for receiving illegal political funds from businesspeople.

Last week, the Seoul Central District Court handed down the prison term to Song, who was indicted a year ago for taking 763 million won ($524,000) in illegal political funds from seven people under the pretext of donations for his support group, the Research Institute for Peace & Livelihood, from 2020 to 2021.

Song was also indicted in January last year for his alleged involvement in his campaign's distribution of cash totaling 66 million won to 20 sitting DP lawmakers and other party members in the run-up to the party's leadership election in May 2021, which he ultimately won.

The court acquitted Song of the charges related to the cash-for-votes scandal after refusing to recognize the evidential value of a former DP official's cell phone recording files, which was the starting point of the prosecution's investigation into the case.

The court then ordered the immediate detention of Song, who was previously put under arrest in January last year but was released on bail four months later in May.

Song is now serving as the leader of the Pine Tree Party, a minor political party. (Yonhap)