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

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.

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.

Published Oct 7, 2026 9:14 am KST

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol / Yonhap

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.

首尔高等法院原定于周三在首尔就前总统尹锡烈就其在2022年总统大选前接受免费民意调查一事提出的上诉作出裁决。此前，下级法院认定尹锡烈接受的58份民意调查中有14份构成非法政治捐款，并依据《政治资金法》判处其两年有期徒刑。检方则寻求判处其四年有期徒刑。尹锡烈的妻子金建熙在下级法院的单独审判中被判无罪，目前正在等待最高法院的最终裁决。

据称，这些民调是由自称权力掮客的明泰均在 2021 年 4 月至 2022 年 3 月期间提供的。

这 58 项民意调查的总价值约为 2.7 亿韩元（20.2 万美元）。

下级法院裁定，其余 44 项民意调查不能被视为已获得尹和金的同意。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队以尹某与金某串通免费获取民调结果为由，对其提起诉讼。

尹锡悦在 2024 年戒严令申请失败后被免职，目前面临多项刑事审判。

发布于2026年10月7日上午9:14（韩国标准时间）

前总统尹锡烈 / 韩联社

上诉法院原定于周三对前总统尹锡烈在2022年总统选举前接受免费民意调查的指控作出裁决。

首尔高等法院原定于下午 2 点对尹某的判决进行宣判，此前下级法院以违反政治资金法为由判处其两年有期徒刑。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队此前指控尹某与其妻子串通，在 2021 年 4 月至 2022 年 3 月期间，从自称权力掮客的明泰均处免费获得了 58 份民意调查报告，总价值约 2.7 亿韩元（20.2 万美元）。

下级法院认定尹某在其中14起事件中犯有非法政治捐款罪，并表示其余44起捐款无法被视为经这对夫妇同意。

特别检察官小组要求判处尹某四年监禁。

他的妻子金建熙在一审和二审中均被判无罪，罪名与他相同。她正在等待最高法院的最终判决。

尹锡悦在2024年戒严令申请失败并随后被罢免后，面临多项刑事审判。