Special prosecutors demanded the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday during his military rebellion appeal trial in Seoul.
Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty Again in Seoul High Court Appeal
Special prosecutors asked the Seoul High Court to sentence former President Yoon Suk Yeol to death. They maintained the maximum penalty sought during his initial trial before the Seoul Central District Court.
The appeal proceedings reached Wednesday as prosecutors argued that the December 2024 emergency martial law declaration constituted an unpardonable destruction of the constitutional order.
Prosecutors told the court that the defendant should face the ultimate punishment. They asserted that there was no reason to hesitate in seeking a death sentence.
They emphasized that the restraint shown during the operation came from frontline soldiers and police officers rather than the former leader himself.
The state team characterized the actions as an assault on democracy.
A first-instance ruling in February handed down a life sentence after acknowledging that the court had considered attempts to keep physical force to a minimum.
Former President Defends Martial Law Declaration in Court
Taking the stand during ongoing defendant questioning, the former president defended his actions. He told the court that he had no other choice when faced with the political behavior of the opposition Democratic Party.
He described the decree as an effort to make his voice heard against legislative moves. These included opposition attempts to impeach the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection.
Yoon rejected the special prosecutor designation of his decree as a self-coup. He questioned whether a nation deeply reliant on imports and exports could sustain itself through a military takeover.
He also denied any direct knowledge of an arrest list drawn up by the Defense Counterintelligence Command.
He stated that he only learned of the lists after the decree was lifted. He subsequently scolded then-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun for taking unnecessary actions.
Court Schedules Final Hearings for Yoon and Co-Defendants
The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 12-1 scheduled three days of hearings to wrap up the appellate proceedings. Final arguments are set to conclude in early November before the judges designate a ruling date.
Alongside the former president, several senior security and police officials are facing judgment in the same legal proceedings.
- Kim Yong Hyun, former Minister of National Defense: 30 years in prison
- Noh Sang Won, former head of the Armed Forces Information Command: 18 years in prison
- Cho Ji Ho, former Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency: 12 years in prison
- Kim Bong Shik, former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency: 10 years in prison
- Moon Hyun Tae, former commander of the National Assembly Security Guard: 3 years in prison
Two other military and police figures were acquitted during the initial trial as the judicial panel sorted through the degrees of involvement among various officials.
Defense teams for the remaining defendants will present their final statements over the coming days. This paves the way for an appellate verdict expected as early as the end of the year.