A former South Korean opposition leader is jailed for two years for taking bribes from the Unification Church, amid a widening political scandal.
SEOUL: A South Korean court sentenced former opposition leader Kweon Seong-dong to two years in prison for receiving bribes from the Unification Church.
The Seoul Central District Court convicted Kweon of taking 100 million won (RM 257,000) from the religious sect, Yonhap news agency reported.
Special prosecutors had sought a four-year prison term for the former floor leader of the conservative People Power Party.
Kweon was a key ally of disgraced former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted in April and is now imprisoned.
The sentencing came hours after Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, received a 20-month jail term for accepting gifts from the same church.
The probe into Kim led to the arrest of church leader Han Hak-ja, whose organisation claims 10 million followers globally.
A widening scandal has since implicated multiple politicians from across the political spectrum in taking cash from the church.
Last month, oceans minister Chun Jae-soo resigned over allegations he received 30 million won and luxury watches from the sect.
President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to crack down on religious groups wielding undue political influence.
