Yoon Seok-yeol, Sentenced to Death, Delivers 90-Minute Final Statement: "Became Fodder for a Pack of Wolves Driving the Insurrection Narrative"

"Frenzied Sword Dance of the Insurrection Narrative... The Indictment Is Fiction"
Denies Leadership Role in Insurrection
Special Prosecutor Requests Death Penalty

Former President Yoon Sukyeol, who has been sentenced to death on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection, argued in his final statement on January 14 that "the declaration of martial law was an appeal for the people to monitor and check 'ruinous tyranny,' but it became fodder for a pack of wolves driving an insurrection narrative." With a flushed face and a raised voice, Yoon read from his prepared statement for about an hour and thirty minutes.

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is attending the trial on charges of obstruction of official duties held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the 26th.

The 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Guyon) held the sentencing hearing for Yoon's insurrection ringleader case the previous morning. Yoon's final statement began at approximately 12:11 a.m. on this day, about 15 hours after the start of the hearing, and continued until 1:41 a.m.

Throughout the entire hour and thirty minutes, Yoon denied the charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection. He claimed, "Martial law lasted only a few hours, the shortest in modern Korean history, yet all investigative agencies rushed in, and even a massive special prosecutor was established to investigate, indiscriminately indicting countless public officials who faithfully performed their duties." He described it as a "frenzied sword dance symbolizing purges and oppression."

He continued, "As President, I declared martial law to inform the people of the national emergency and to appeal for their help in overcoming it," emphasizing, "The declaration of martial law became fodder for a pack of wolves driving an insurrection narrative."

Regarding the charge of obstructing the National Assembly's resolution to lift martial law, he stated, "No one oppressed the people or interfered with lawmakers' schedules, and most lawmakers who wanted to attend the plenary session entered without hindrance." He added, "At about 1:03 a.m., the lifting of martial law was demanded with 190 votes in favor. The decision was made swiftly, perhaps the fastest in the world."

He also refuted the testimonies of former Army Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jonggeun and former First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Hong Jangwon as "blatant falsehoods," asserting, "This case is being conducted as a trial by public opinion in the square, turning it into a political trial driven by an agitated crowd." These individuals had previously given statements unfavorable to Yoon.

Yoon further argued, "The troops deployed to the National Assembly were unarmed and were assaulted by the crowd, while lawmakers entered the plenary chamber without any hindrance and the lifting of martial law was carried out swiftly," insisting, "The indictment is delusional fiction."

The special prosecutor's team stated, "The acts of destroying constitutional order committed by public office elites must be punished even more severely than those of the Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo regimes," and at approximately 9:35 p.m. on January 13, requested the death penalty for former President Yoon.

The special prosecutor's team further emphasized, "By punishing the acts of destroying constitutional order committed by public office elites even more strictly than those of the Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo regimes, the Republic of Korea must demonstrate through its criminal justice system that it can defend its own constitutional order," and requested the death penalty for Yoon the previous day.