Seoul: Prosecutors on Wednesday demanded a 9-year prison term for Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), stemming from a cash-for-votes scandal related to the party's 2021 leadership election. Song was indicted earlier this year for allegedly distributing cash envelopes amounting to 66 million won (US$47,000) to 20 incumbent DP lawmakers and other party affiliates ahead of the leadership election in May 2021, which he subsequently won.According to Yonhap News Agency, Song is also accused of receiving 763 million won in illegal political contributions from seven individuals, purportedly as donations for his support group, the Research Institute for Peace and Livelihood, between 2020 and 2021. Song has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating, "I had no knowledge of the incident and I was not involved in the case legally," before attending the final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court.Song further alleged that prosecutors "illegally collected" over 30,000 re cordings from a former campaign aide during a separate investigation and improperly used them as evidence against him. After initially being indicted with physical detention, Song was released on bail in late May.Despite his assertions of innocence and claims of a "politically orchestrated investigation," all other former and current DP lawmakers implicated in the scandal have received prison sentences. Last month, the Supreme Court confirmed a two-year prison term for Yoon Kwan-suk, a former lawmaker involved in the scandal, for accepting cash envelopes from a former aide to Song for distribution.
- October 12, 2026
