Korean public reacts to former President Trump's conviction on all 34 counts

Korean reactions are pouring in as Trump is found guilty on all charges.

News of former U.S. President Donald Trump's conviction on all 34 charges has captured the attention of the South Korean public. Korean media outlets reported that on May 30, local time, the jury found Trump guilty in the criminal trial involving his alleged "hush money" payments in a sex scandal, as covered by The New York Times and other American sources.

Korean netizens responded with a mix of comparisons to their own current president Yoon Suk Yeol, approval of the legal outcome for its implications on Korea-U.S. relations, and calls for similar legal scrutiny in their own country.

Trump was indicted for paying $130,000 through his then-personal lawyer Michael Cohen to silence former adult film actress Stormy Daniels about their alleged affair, and for falsifying company records to disguise the payment as legal consultation fees.

This historic verdict marks the first time a former U.S. president has been found guilty in a criminal trial, a fact widely reported in Korean media.

Reactions included:

"[Yoon] Suk Yeol would be similar, but he has so many crimes that even if they roughly handle it, he would come out with at least 10 convictions."

"This is really good for South Korea. If someone like this becomes president, neighboring countries would be in chaos..."

"Trump is a serious criminal just because of the White House incident. Biden went easy on him, but if he keeps acting out like that, it will be problematic."

"As expected, this is America!"

"At least the judiciary in the U.S. is still functioning."

"Soon it will be Yoon's turn... His charges are countless."

"If this were in our country, the prosecutor wouldn't even investigate, and even if they did indict, the judge would rule not guilty. At least in America, justice is alive. [Yoon], take a special prosecutor and go to school."

"As expected, this is America. In South Korea, we have the invincible who hasn't even been summoned for questioning..."

"That corrupt guy needs to be in jail."

"The reason America still works is because the media is alive and the rule of law is upheld. In our country, prosecutors fabricate evidence to indict the weak, and when they are acquitted, the prosecutors retaliate, but the Constitutional Court dismisses it. This is the reality of South Korea."

"The American jury succeeded in doing what our country's corrupt prosecutors could not!"