Seoul Central Court sentenced Park Sung-jae, former Minister of Justice, to 25 years in prison for playing a significant role in the rebellion related to his involvement in the declaration of martial law by former President Yoon Suk-yeol in December 2024.
The 25-year prison sentence imposed by the court is heavier than the 20 years requested by the special prosecution team led by Cho Eun-sook. The court ordered Park's immediate detention, fearing he might destroy evidence.
The prosecution stated that after Yoon Suk-yeol announced martial law on 3 December 2024, Park urgently convened a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Justice in the early morning to order preparations to deploy prosecutors to support enforcement agencies of martial law. He also instructed to inspect vacant spaces in prisons and detention centers to hold opposition politicians and key anti-government figures expected to be purged, and ordered travel ban officials to resume work immediately.
The court's ruling stated, "The defendant chose to turn his back on his duty to protect the constitution simply because he believed this rebellion would succeed and chose to become part of this process." Furthermore, the prosecution pointed out that Park devalued the law into a tool for rebellion and showed no remorse for actions that defied the rule of law.
However, the court acquitted him of additional charges related to violating anti-corruption laws, stating these charges were beyond the special prosecution team's investigative authority. These charges involved Park's alleged improper orders to investigate corruption details concerning Kim Geon-hee, wife of Yoon, in May 2024.
The lightning-fast declaration of martial law by former President Yoon Suk-yeol in 2024 lasted only six hours before legislators broke through military lines to enter the assembly and vote against it. This event triggered a major political crisis in South Korea, caused a sharp stock market plunge, and alarmed key allies like the United States.
Currently, Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment in February on charges of leading the rebellion, and was additionally sentenced to 30 more years earlier this month for sending drones into North Korea to "create a national crisis situation" aimed at justifying the martial law declaration. This case is under appeal.
Besides Park Sung-jae, other members of Yoon's government have been sentenced: former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo received 15 years, former Minister of the Interior Lee Sang-min was sentenced to 9 years, the former Minister of Defense was sentenced to 3 years last week for leaking military secrets to support the rebellion, and Kim Geon-hee, Yoon's wife, is currently serving 4 years for stock manipulation and bribery unrelated to the martial law events.