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Appellate court acquits former DP leader Song Young-gil of all charges in 'cash envelope' case

Published: 13 Feb. 2026, 16:48

Song Young-gil, a former leader of the liberal Democratic Party, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, ahead of a final hearing on a cash-for-votes scandal surrounding the party's 2021 leadership election, in this 2024 file photo. [YONHAP]

An appeals court on Friday overturned a lower-court ruling to acquit Song Young-gil, a former leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), of all charges in a case over alleged exchanges of cash envelopes in the run-up to a party convention in 2021.

The Seoul High Court found Song not guilty of bribery and violating laws on political parties and political funds, striking down an earlier ruling that sentenced him to two years in prison for receiving illegal political funds.

Unlike the lower ruling, the appellate court determined that the prosecution presented illegally collected evidence of Song's alleged acceptance of 863 million won ($600,000) in illegal political funds via the Research Institute for Peace and Livelihood.

The court also ruled the group could not be seen as a “political person” under the Political Funds Act, reversing the previous ruling.

Prosecutors accused Song of involvement in handing out cash envelopes containing 66.5 million won in total between March and April 2021 to lawmakers and other officials, allegedly in exchange for their help in his bid to become the party's leader in the convention that May.

Song ultimately won the race and served as the party's leader until March 2022. He left the DP the next year following revelations of the allegations.

Yonhap