On the 19th, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Jung Chung-rae, condemned the initial court decision that sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to life imprisonment after he acknowledged leading a rebellion, stating on the 20th that the verdict was “careless and irresponsible.”
In his opening speech during the party’s Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that morning, Representative Jung commented on the initial court decision, saying, “The court mentioned as reducing circumstances that the planning seemed not to be thorough, that no direct physical force was used, and that most of the plans did not succeed,” and added, “This is not accurate.”
Representative Jung added, “The courtroom where Yoon Suk-yeol received a life sentence yesterday is the same one where Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to death 30 years ago,” noting, “Chun Doo-hwan led an insurrection from below when he wasn’t yet president, while Yoon Suk-yeol, as president, carried out a top-down insurrection, effectively a self-coup. The level of threat is vastly greater than that of an insurrection from below.” He also mentioned, “Since this insurrection is more sinister than Chun Doo-hwan’s, a more severe penalty than what was given to Chun Doo-hwan should have been applied.”
Representative Jung stated, “Although Chun Doo-hwan received the death penalty in the initial ruling, sentencing Yoon Suk-yeol to life imprisonment marks a historical step backward for judicial fairness,” and further noted, “Judge Jee Kui-youn has made an imprudent and negligent decision, disregarding societal conditions and public opinion.”
Representative Jung then said, “We cannot leave the judiciary under Chief Justice Jo Hee-de unchanged.” He stressed, “To stop the judiciary from continuing to create sparks of rebellion that might result in another Chun Doo-hwan or another Yoon Suk-yeol, we will thoroughly implement judicial reforms, including raising the number of justices, creating a crime related to legal distortion, and implementing a trial petition system.”
Other members of the Supreme Council also expressed discontent with the initial court decision. Floor Leader Han Byung-do remarked, “The verdict is completely out of touch with the general public’s expectation of a death penalty,” and called for, “The special prosecutor should immediately file an appeal, and the judicial system must demonstrate that the rule of law in South Korea remains active by imposing the highest possible punishment allowed by law.”
Floor Leader Han stated, “In January of last year, I introduced a bill to revise the Special Amnesty Act, aimed at limiting pardons, reduced sentences, and reinstatement for individuals involved in insurrection and treason,” and mentioned, “We will quickly handle the amendment to the Special Amnesty Act to make sure that the leader of the insurrection, Yoon Suk-yeol, does not leave prison.”
Member of the Supreme Council, Lee Un-ju, asked, “A first-time offense, old age, and extended public service are weak justifications when compared to actions that undermine the constitutional framework. Is it logical to lower a major rebellion charge due to these factors?” and stated, “This argument lacks convincing evidence for the public.”
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