Kwon Sung-dong loses law license after prison term confirmed in Unification Church bribery case

Former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Sung-dong has had his law license revoked after a prison sentence was finalized against him on charges of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church.

The Korean Bar Association recently canceled Kwon's attorney registration, according to legal sources, following a Justice Ministry order issued Aug. 14.

Under the Attorney-at-Law Act, a registered attorney who receives a confirmed sentence of imprisonment or heavier is disqualified from holding a law license. In such cases, the justice minister is required to order the Korean Bar Association to cancel the registration.

Kwon was indicted on charges of receiving 100 million won ($71,800) from Yoon Young-ho, a former head of the Unification Church's world headquarters, on Jan. 6, 2022, in exchange for lobbying the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to support the church. The Supreme Court on July 16 upheld a sentence of two years in prison and a forfeiture of 100 million won.

Kwon also lost his National Assembly seat under the Public Official Election Act and the National Assembly Act, which strip a lawmaker of their seat upon a confirmed fine of 1 million won or more for illegally receiving political funds.

Kwon passed the bar exam in 1985 and worked as a prosecutor before opening a private law practice in 2006. He served as legal affairs secretary at Cheong Wa Dae from 2008 to 2009 during the Lee Myung-bak administration, and entered politics the following year after winning a by-election to the National Assembly.