South Korea's Ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol Convicted of Making False Statements During Presidential Campaign

South Korea's ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol faces an uphill task. Yeol, who was removed from office last year after the country briefly imposed martial law, has been convicted in a new case. He pleaded guilty to making false statements during the presidential campaign. The former South Korean president has denied the charges, while his lawyers have said they will appeal the verdict. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yeol to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years. The court said his false statements during the election campaign influenced the fair judgment of voters. If the high court upholds the verdict, the conservative People Power Party will incur a financial burden, as the party may have to pay back $27 million in election expenses. Yeol narrowly defeated incumbent President Lee Jae-myung during the 2022 presidential election. Under South Korean law, the government recovers 15 percent of the votes cast.