Former South Korea justice minister sentenced to 25 years imprisonment over 2024 insurrection attempt News
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Former South Korea justice minister sentenced to 25 years imprisonment over 2024 insurrection attempt

Former South Korean Justice Minister Park Sung-jae was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday for his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s 2024 declaration of martial law, according to local media. 

The Seoul Central District Court found Park guilty of insurrection under Article 87 of the Statutes of the Republic of Korea, and abuse of power under Article 123 of the statute, holding that he played a central role in Yoon’s attempted seizure of dictatorial power. The court found that Park had ordered Justice Ministry officials to assess correctional facility detention capabilities in anticipation of the arrest of politicians, instructed immigration authorities to prepare travel bans related to the martial law directive, and ordered subordinates to produce documents aimed at retroactively legitimizing the unconstitutional acts carried out by Yoon.

Park denied these allegations and argued that he “only carried out necessary duties during a national emergency” in the interest of reducing “any side effects that could arise in the administration of justice.” The court rejected these arguments, finding that Park knew the martial law declaration was unlawful, and that he participated in an insurrection that attempted to subvert the rule of law. Park was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, five years beyond the sentence sought by the special prosecutor. 

In December 2024, then-president Yoon declared martial law, claiming that opposition forces were engaging in “anti-state activities.” The declaration of martial law was overturned the following day, after national lawmakers convened for an emergency parliamentary session. Yoon was arrested, impeached, and ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment. A string of prosecutions and sanctions against Yoon’s allies and cabinet members followed. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in April. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment in January, with the sentence later reduced to 15 years on appeal.

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