[Breaking] Court Approves Bail Application for Representative Song Young-gil

Song Young-gil, the 60-year-old leader of the Sonamu Party, who has been on trial while in custody for charges related to the Democratic Party's cash envelope scandal, will be released on bail.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 21 (Presiding Judge Heo Kyung-moo) ruled on the 30th to approve Song's bail application.

Song had requested a non-custodial trial from the court on February 27, ahead of the general election, but it was dismissed on March 29.

He then submitted a second bail application on the 17th, 49 days later.

Song was arrested and indicted on January 4 this year on charges of distributing cash envelopes totaling 606.5 million won to party officials at the 2021 Democratic Party convention, and receiving illegal political funds amounting to 763 million won under the name of donations through an external organization, the Incorporated Association for Research on Livelihood Issues (Meoksa-yeon).