Ruling Camp Protests Yoon’s Life Sentence in First Trial... Chung Cheongrae Vows to Complete Judicial Reform and Amnesty Act Revision

Chung Cheongrae: “Pushing for New Offense of Judicial Distortion of the Law and Introduction of Constitutional Complaint Against Court Rulings”

In connection with former President Yoon Sukyeol being sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial on the charge of being the leader of an insurrection, the Democratic Party of Korea reaffirmed its commitment to judicial reform. There were even remarks that impeachment proceedings should be initiated against Chief Justice Cho Heedae. To preempt any possibility of a special presidential pardon for former President Yoon, the party is also pushing to revise the Amnesty Act to restrict the president’s pardon power with respect to crimes such as insurrection.

On Feb. 20, at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Democratic Party leader Chung Cheongrae criticized the first-instance ruling delivered by Judge Ji Guyoun’s panel, stating, “We cannot leave Chief Justice Cho Heedae’s judiciary as it is,” and adding, “We will see judicial reform through to completion so that the judiciary does not leave behind the embers of treason in the form of a second Chun Doohwan or a second Yoon Sukyeol.” Regarding judicial reform, Chung declared measures including “increasing the number of Supreme Court justices, creating a new offense of judicial distortion of the law, and introducing a constitutional complaint against court rulings.”

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on February 20, 2026, and is delivering remarks. Photo by Kang Jinhyeong

Lee Sungyoon, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, said, “Chief Justice Cho, who was appointed by former President Yoon, the leader of the insurrection, ought to resign,” and continued, “Our party will bring the impeachment of Chief Justice Cho into the public arena for debate and strongly urges that impeachment proceedings be initiated immediately.”

The Democratic Party is also accelerating efforts to revise the Amnesty Act to prevent forces involved in the insurrection from being released on parole or otherwise granted amnesty and restoration of rights. The core of the amendment to the Amnesty Act being pursued by the broader ruling camp, including the Democratic Party and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is to exclude from eligibility for pardon serious crimes that threaten the constitutional order, such as insurrection and treason under the Criminal Act.

The National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee is holding a subcommittee meeting on bills on this day to discuss the proposed amendment to the Amnesty Act. If it passes the committee before the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 24th, there is a possibility that it will be handled together with the prosecutorial and judicial reform bills. Regarding this, Baek Seungah, floor spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said, “It is the party’s position to process (the amendment to the Amnesty Act) as quickly as possible,” while adding, “We still need further discussion on whether it will be put to a vote at the plenary session on the 24th.”