(2nd LD) Appeals court acquits ex-President Yoon in 'free opinion polls' case

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SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court overturned a lower court ruling Wednesday, acquitting former President Yoon Suk Yeol of charges related to receiving free opinion polls ahead of the 2022 presidential election in violation of the political funds law.

The Seoul High Court found Yoon not guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, which bans improper political donations, reversing the Seoul Central District Court's conviction in July that had sentenced him to two years in prison.

Yoon had been indicted on charges of colluding with his wife and receiving 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won (US$202,000) in total for free from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022.

The appellate court ruled that Myung's provision of opinion polls could not be seen as political donations under the political funds law as they could not be categorized as having a benefit in terms of property.

"While the political advice provided by Myung Tae-kyun could be seen as having political benefits, it cannot be quantified as a benefit in terms of property," the court said. "It is difficult to view it as a donation of political funds."

This file photo shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The court also cited the lack of evidence indicating that the former first couple and Myung had made an agreement for free opinion polls.

The appellate court also acquitted Myung, who had also been indicted in the case, overturning the lower court ruling that sentenced him to 18 months in prison.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had sought a four-year prison term for Yoon and a three-year term for Myung.

The Seoul Central District Court had convicted Yoon for 14 of the 58 free opinion polls, ruling there had been an implicit agreement for the opinion polls between the two sides.

The latest ruling comes after the former president's 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 has been standing multiple criminal trials following his failed 2024 martial law bid and subsequent ouster from office.

He was sentenced to life in prison in February for leading an insurrection through his martial law declaration. That case is currently under review at the appellate court.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

(3rd LD) Ex-President Yoon sentenced to 2 yrs in prison in 'free opinion poll' case

4-yr prison term sought for Yoon in appellate trial over free opinion polls

(2nd LD) Appeals court acquits ex-President Yoon in 'free opinion polls' case

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首尔，10 月 7 日（韩联社）——周三，一家上诉法院推翻了下级法院的裁决，宣布前总统尹锡烈无罪，此前他被指控在 2022 年总统选举前接受免费民意调查，违反了政治资金法。

首尔高等法院裁定尹某违反禁止不正当政治捐款的《政治资金法》的罪名不成立，推翻了首尔中央地方法院7月份判处其两年监禁的判决。

尹某被指控与妻子合谋，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 58 份民意调查报告，总价值约 2.7 亿韩元（20.2 万美元）。

上诉法院裁定，明提供的民意调查不能被视为政治捐款，因为根据政治资金法，这些捐款不能被归类为具有财产利益。

法院表示：“虽然明泰均提供的政治建议可能具有政治利益，但无法用财产价值来量化。很难将其视为政治捐款。”

这张资料照片显示的是前总统尹锡烈（左）和自称权力掮客的明泰均。（联社照片）（韩联社）

法院还指出，没有证据表明前第一夫妇和明某曾达成免费民意调查协议。

上诉法院还宣告本案中同样被起诉的明某无罪，推翻了下级法院判处其 18 个月监禁的判决。

特别检察官闵仲基的团队曾寻求判处尹某四年监禁，判处明某三年监禁。

首尔中央地方法院对尹某进行的 58 次自由民意调查中的 14 次作出有罪判决，裁定双方之间存在关于这些民意调查的默契协议。

此前，前总统夫人金建熙在一审和二审中均被判无罪，罪名与本案相同。她目前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，一直面临多项刑事审判。

他因发布戒严令领导叛乱，于二月份被判处终身监禁。该案目前正在上诉法院审理中。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

（第三条）前总统尹锡悦因“自由民意调查”案被判处两年有期徒刑

尹某因自由民意调查案在上诉审判中被寻求判处4年监禁

（第二条）上诉法院宣判前总统尹锡悦“自由民意调查”案无罪