Two Sentenced to Prison for Breaking Into and Damaging Court... First Verdict in 'Western District Court Riot'

Two individuals who were put on trial for breaking into and damaging the court in protest of the arrest warrant issued for former President Yoon Seokyeol have been sentenced to prison in the first trial. This is the first verdict since the riot at the Western District Court.

On the morning of May 14, Judge Kim Jinseong of the Criminal Division 6 of the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Kim and So, who were indicted on charges including special trespassing into a building, special damage to public property, and special obstruction of official duties, to one year and six months in prison and one year in prison, respectively.

Judge Kim stated, "The crime was committed out of an obsession and determination to immediately retaliate and seek revenge, interpreting and defining the court's decision to issue a warrant as a political conspiracy." He added, "The overall outcome of the crimes committed at that time was horrific." He continued, "I have taken into consideration that the defendants are genuinely remorseful, that the crime was committed impulsively, and that they are first-time offenders," and said, "I hope this sentence does not determine the rest of your lives, and that you will live the rest of your lives true to yourselves."

They were indicted for breaking into the Western District Court and damaging the court building immediately after hearing the news of the arrest warrant for former President Yoon Seokyeol on January 19. On April 30, the prosecution had submitted a written sentencing recommendation to the court, seeking three years in prison for Kim and two years in prison for So.

During the riot at the Western District Court, Kim was found to have thrown bricks and a manhole cover at the court’s outer wall and to have pushed police officers multiple times. So was found to have thrown a flowerpot saucer from the ground at a glass door and to have thrown broken wall tiles at the outer wall during the riot.

Kim and So are the first among approximately 100 people indicted in connection with the Western District Court riot to receive a verdict. Sentences for other defendants involved in the riot are expected to follow. Sentencing for Woo and three others, who are accused of assaulting reporters and police officers and breaking into the Western District Court, is scheduled for the 16th. Sentencing for Park, who was indicted for assaulting a broadcast video journalist, is scheduled for the 28th.

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office has indicted 63 people in connection with the Western District Court riot, and so far, about 100 participants have been put on trial.