Yoon Suk-yeol
The former president of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, has initiated the process of appealing his life sentence, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
On February 19, the Central District Court in Seoul found Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of unlawfully declaring martial law on December 3, 2024, interpreting it as an attempt at rebellion aimed at undermining the functioning of the National Assembly. The court noted that the former president himself devised the plan for the rebellion and actively participated in its implementation, leading to serious social consequences. The prosecution insisted on the death penalty for him.
In addition, in their statement, the defense emphasized that the appeal is not only aimed at overturning the sentence. "We consider it important to point out the issues related to this decision so that they are recorded not only in court documents but also in future history. We do not intend to silence the excessive actions of the special prosecutor and the controversial verdict of the court, as well as its political nature," the defense statement reads.
Alongside Yoon Suk-yeol, seven other co-conspirators of the rebellion remain on trial. Among them are former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison, former head of the National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho, who received 12 years, and former head of the Seoul Police Agency Kim Bong-sik, who was sentenced to 10 years.
Additionally, Yoon Suk-yeol had previously been convicted in another case and sentenced to five years for interfering with justice.
