Live Broadcast of Former President’s Criminal Verdict
Third Instance Following Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak
The court has granted permission for the live broadcast of the first trial verdict in the case involving former President Yoon Seok-yeol’s obstruction of arrest charges. This will be the first time that a court’s ruling in one of the eight criminal trials Yoon is facing will be broadcast live.
Yoon Seok-yeol delivering his final statement at the sentencing hearing. Photo by Seoul Central District Court, Yonhap News Agency
The Criminal Agreement Division 35 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Daehyun) announced on January 15 that it has approved a broadcaster’s request to air the sentencing hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. on January 16, where Yoon faces charges including obstruction of special official duties and abuse of power.
The court also stated, "The footage will be filmed using the court’s own equipment and broadcast to the media in real time," adding that "some delay may occur due to technical circumstances."
This marks the third time a trial involving a former president will be broadcast live. In April 2018, the court allowed the live broadcast of the sentencing in former President Park Geun-hye’s state affairs manipulation case, and in July of the same year, the sentencing in the National Intelligence Service’s special activities fund case. In October 2018, the sentencing for former President Lee Myung-bak’s embezzlement and bribery case was also broadcast live.
Separately from the charge of being the ringleader of the 12·3 Martial Law Uprising, Yoon was additionally indicted in July of last year on charges including obstruction of arrest. He is accused of preventing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and infringing upon the martial law review authority of nine cabinet ministers. The special prosecutor’s team for the insurrection, led by Cho Eunseok, requested a total sentence of 10 years in prison during the final hearing held on December 26 of last year.
The special prosecutor’s team sought a five-year prison sentence for Yoon’s obstruction of arrest, three years for infringing upon the review and decision-making authority of cabinet ministers and disseminating false information to foreign journalists, and two years for writing a false martial law declaration.
The special prosecutor’s team stated, "The defendant’s crimes have severely undermined the rule of law in the Republic of Korea and caused great harm to the citizens who trusted and elected him as president," adding, "Nevertheless, during the investigation and trial, the defendant repeatedly asserted the legitimacy of the martial law declaration rather than expressing remorse or apologizing to the people."
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