An appellate court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of former President Yoon Suk Yeol for making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign, a ruling that, if finalized, would require the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to repay 39.7 billion won ($30 million) in campaign reimbursements. The Seoul High Court upheld the lower court’s sentence of 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, over statements Yoon made before his election in March 2022. The decision leaves the party facing a substantial financial liability, although the repayment obligation depends on the conviction becoming final at the Supreme Court. Under the election law, the government fully reimburses campaign expenses for political parties whose presidential candidates receive at least 15 percent of the vote. But the funds must be returned if a candidate receives a final prison sentence or a fine of at least 1 million won for election law violations. Such a penalty also invalidates the candidate’s election.