Former President Yoon Seokyeol Sentenced to 5 Years in First Trial for 'Obstruction of Arrest' and Other Charges

First Court Ruling Among Eight Criminal Trials

On the 16th, the first trial sentencing hearing for former President Yoon Seokyeol, who was indicted on charges including obstruction of arrest by the High-ranking Officials' Crimes Investigation Agency (HCIA), is being broadcast live on TV from the Seoul Station waiting room. Photo by Yonhap News

Former President Yoon Seokyeol has been sentenced to five years in prison in the first trial on charges including obstruction of arrest. This is the court's first ruling among the eight criminal cases against the former president.

The 35th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Baek Daehyun, sentenced former President Yoon to five years in prison on January 16 for charges including obstruction of special official duties and abuse of power.

Former President Yoon was additionally indicted by the special investigation team led by Cho Eunseok in July last year for allegedly obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the High-ranking Officials' Crimes Investigation Agency (HCIA) in connection with the 12·3 Martial Law. He also faces charges of drafting the subsequent martial law proclamation and infringing upon the deliberation and decision-making rights of nine cabinet members regarding martial law. Other charges include disseminating false information to foreign media and destroying evidence related to secure phones.

At the sentencing hearing held on December 26, the special investigation team requested a total of 10 years in prison for former President Yoon, citing these charges. The team stated, "The defendant's actions have seriously undermined the rule of law in the Republic of Korea and caused great harm to the citizens who trusted him and elected him as president," adding, "Nevertheless, during the investigation and trial, the defendant repeatedly asserted the legitimacy of the martial law proclamation instead of expressing remorse or apologizing to the public."

In contrast, during his 58-minute final statement, former President Yoon dismissed the prosecution's indictment as "comedic" and repeatedly argued that the HCIA's investigation and execution of the arrest warrant were illegal. He claimed, "The cause of the national emergency was the National Assembly and the major opposition party, and it was the first exercise of emergency powers in 45 years," adding, "It was inevitable to urge the public not to be indifferent to politics and state affairs, and to pay attention and offer criticism." Yoon's legal team has consistently emphasized the legitimacy of the martial law and argued that punishing actions taken during this process is unjust, insisting on his innocence.