Ruling Party Shocked by Lee Sangmin’s 7-Year Sentence... “We Will Watch Yoon’s Trial With Our Eyes Wide Open”

"Elastic yardstick will face judgment"
Park Honggeun: "Judiciary brings distrust upon itself"
Park Jumin: "An insult to the people who defended the Constitution"

Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea strongly protested the seven-year prison sentence handed down in the first trial to former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sangmin, who was indicted on charges of participating in an insurrection, including relaying orders to cut off electricity and water to news outlets during the December 3 Martial Law. Citing the trials of former President Yoon Sukyeol and others, they warned that the judiciary "will have no other choice but to stand on the judgment stand."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hongkeun raised questions about the ruling on February 12 via social media, saying, "Presiding Judge Ryu Kyungjin's panel has sentenced Lee Sangmin, a participant in key duties of insurrection, to seven years in prison." Park said, "The special counsel for the insurrection sought the same 15-year sentence for both Han Ducksoo and Lee Sangmin as participants in key duties of insurrection," adding, "Lee Sangmin, as a key aide to Yoon Sukyeol, was more deeply involved in the insurrection than Han Ducksoo. Nevertheless, Han Ducksoo received an aggravated sentence of 23 years, while Lee Sangmin's sentence was reduced to seven years."

Ryu Kyungjin, presiding judge, is hearing the first trial of former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sangmin on charges including cutting electricity and water to a news outlet, perjury, and participation in key duties of insurrection at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. 2025.10.17. Photo by Joint Press Corps

He continued, "Judge Lee Jinkwan's panel, which handled the case of Han Ducksoo, defined the December 3 Martial Law as an 'insurrection from above' and established a historic standard for punishing insurrection," adding, "However, Judge Ryu Kyungjin's panel completely ignored this."

Park went on to say, "In a week, the first-instance verdict for insurrection ringleader Yoon Sukyeol will be handed down," and pointed out, "In this situation, an uneasy feeling creeps in that proper judgment may not be rendered." He warned, "Today's sentencing of Lee Sangmin is a major blunder that invites distrust in the judiciary," and added, "If such loose punishment of insurrection continues with this kind of elastic yardstick, the judiciary will have no other choice but to stand on the stern judgment stand of reform."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jumin also said of the seven-year sentence for the former minister, "I feel misery beyond anger." Park said, "Are you saying that the weight of the 'crime of insurrection' that stopped the heart of the state, ordered the cutting of power to news organizations, and destroyed democracy is merely the same as that of a fraud crime between individuals?" and criticized, "This ruling is a clear 'mockery' and 'insult' to the people who shed blood to protect the Constitution."

He added, "With the exception of rare cases like Judge Lee Jinkwan, the signals recently sent by the courts seem clear," and expressed concern, saying, "Ahead of the upcoming trial of insurrection ringleader Yoon Sukyeol on the 19th, are they not rolling out a 'red carpet' in advance?"

He continued, "Mechanical rulings based not on the conscience of judges, but on 'the practices and interests of the legal cartel' must now be cut off," adding, "Today has made it even clearer why we must hasten the introduction of a 'crime of distortion of law' to punish the elastic yardstick that is lenient only toward certain individuals." Park said, "Please keep your eyes wide open and watch the trial of insurrection leader Yoon Sukyeol on the 19th," and declared, "We will never forget, and we will never forgive."