A Seoul court sentenced independent Rep. Youn Kwan-suk to two years in prison for his role in a bribery scheme to secure the leadership for former main opposition Democratic Party(DP) chair Song Young-gil ahead of the 2021 party convention.

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday ordered the two-year term for the DP-turned-independent lawmaker on charges of violating the political party law.

Kang Rae-gu, former head of the Institute of Internal Auditors, was sentenced to one year and eight months, a fine of six million won, or around four-thousand-500 U.S. dollars, and the forfeiture of three million won.

The court said Youn and Kang attempted to win over party delegates by offering money to sitting lawmakers and heads of regional party offices during primaries, posing a threat to democracy by distorting the decisions of party members and the public while undermining transparency and fairness.

Youn was indicted for taking 60 million won from officials in Song's election camp to be distributed to sitting DP lawmakers ahead of the convention in May 2021.

Kang, a key member of Song's camp, was accused of delivering Youn's bribery orders and requests to Song's then-aide, Park Yong-soo, who then gave Youn 20 cash envelopes containing three million won each in April that year. He was also suspected of distributing 94 million won to lawmakers and regional heads.