A South Korean court has fined the former head of a support group for those referred to as wartime comfort women for embezzling funds from the organization.

The Seoul Western District Court handed down the ruling on Friday to independent lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang.

Youn was indicted in 2020 for several charges, including embezzling donated funds and defrauding central and local government subsidies by making false applications. She has denied all the charges.

The court acquitted Youn of most of the charges, citing lack of evidence.

But it determined that she embezzled about 17 million won, or roughly 13,600 dollars, from the group. The court ordered her to pay 12,000 dollars in fines.

After the ruling, she indicated that she will appeal and explain her innocence in her next trial.

The prosecutors had demanded a five-year prison term.

At the time of the indictment, Youn belonged to the Democratic Party, which was in power. She was later expelled from it.