Four Involved in 'Western District Court Disturbance' Receive Prison Sentences Again on Appeal

Four men who participated in the Seoul Western District Court disturbance appealed their sentences, but all of their prison terms were upheld.

On September 8, the Criminal Appellate Division 3-1 of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Ban Jeongu) dismissed the appeals of Mr. Kim (35) and Mr. Cho (41), who had each been sentenced to one year and six months in prison and one year in prison, respectively, in the first trial on charges including special trespass of a building.

Similarly, the Criminal Appellate Division 3-2 of the same court (Presiding Judge Jeong Seonggyun) dismissed the appeals of Mr. So (28) and Mr. Cho (30), who had been sentenced to one year and two years and six months in prison, respectively, on charges including special trespass of a building and special destruction of public property, and upheld the original verdicts.

They were brought to trial on charges of throwing bricks and glass bottles at the exterior walls and windows of the Seoul Western District Court building, breaking them, or entering the premises and damaging property inside, in the early morning of January 19, following news of former President Yoon Sukyeol's arrest.