Kwon Sungdong Pleads Innocence in Final Statement
Special Prosecutor: "Attempted to Destroy Evidence and Shows No Remorse"
Prosecution Requests 4 Years in Prison and Forfeiture of 100 Million Won
First Trial Verdict Scheduled for January 28
Kwon Sungdong, a member of the People Power Party who has been indicted and detained on charges of receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church, pleaded not guilty in his final statement, saying, "I never received 100 million won. I feel a pain as if my chest is being pierced." The special prosecutor's team led by Min Junggi requested a four-year prison sentence for Kwon.
Kwon Sungdong, a member of the People Power Party, is attending the first trial for the case of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 3rd.
On December 17, the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) held the final hearing for Kwon, who is accused of violating the Political Funds Act.
At the hearing, the special prosecutor's team requested a four-year prison sentence and a forfeiture of 100 million won. Special Prosecutor Park Sangjin stated, "As a senior lawmaker, the defendant has a duty to uphold constitutional values and protect the rights of the people more than anyone else. However, he colluded with a specific religious organization to receive 100 million won in political funds, thereby undermining constitutional values and betraying public trust." He added, "Not only did he accept political funds, but he also provided a channel for the religious organization to exert influence over the political sphere and allowed its interests to be reflected."
He continued, "He subordinated his position as a lawmaker to private and religious interests. During the investigation, he attempted to destroy evidence and showed no remorse, making a heavy sentence inevitable."
In his final statement, Kwon completely denied the charges and pleaded his innocence. He admitted to meeting Yoon Youngho, former head of the Unification Church World Headquarters, for about an hour in 2022, but insisted he never received 100 million won. Kwon said, "It is not reasonable to say I received 100 million won from someone I barely knew," and added, "If I had received 100 million won, I would have been beholden to him, but after that, Mr. Yoon never once asked me for anything related to Unification Church business."
He further stated, "In over 30 years, I have never been embroiled in any controversy over money. This is because I believe that in public service, one should pursue honor, not money or power." He added, "Every breath I take in the detention center feels like a stabbing pain in my chest."
Meanwhile, during the trial, the court measured an actual bundle of cash to verify the volume of the 100 million won in cash that Kwon is accused of receiving. The court had both the special prosecutor's team and Kwon's defense present cash bundles, took photos, and measured their size. When asked by the court about the weight, Kwon's side replied, "About 2.2 kilograms."
The verdict for Kwon will be delivered on January 28 next year.
After the final hearing, the court proceeded with a bail hearing, as Kwon requested to be tried without detention. Kwon is accused of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from Yoon Youngho, former head of the Unification Church World Headquarters, in exchange for addressing issues related to the church ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
