According to the agency, Yoon Suk-yeol has appealed the court's decision made on February 19, when the Central District Court of Seoul found him guilty of unlawfully declaring martial law on December 3, 2024. The court classified this action as an attempt at a coup aimed at undermining the work of the National Assembly. In its ruling, the court pointed to the former president's personal role in organizing the coup, which led to significant social consequences. The prosecution insisted on the maximum penalty — the death penalty.
Yoon Suk-yeol's defenders stated in their announcement that the appeal is not merely an attempt to overturn the verdict. "We want to emphasize the issues arising from this decision, both for judicial records and for future historical accounts. We intend to express our opinion on the excessive activity of the special prosecutor during the investigation and the contradictory ruling of the first instance court," the statement reads.
In addition to Yoon Suk-yeol, seven other defendants were also sentenced for their involvement in the coup. For example, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun received a 30-year prison sentence, while former head of the National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho was sentenced to 12 years, and former head of the Seoul Police Agency Kim Bong-sik was sentenced to 10 years.
It is worth noting that Yoon Suk-yeol had previously been sentenced to five years in prison in a separate case for obstructing justice.
