South Korea: Special counsel seeks 10-year prison term for ex-President Yoon over obstruction of justice, other charges

Seoul, Dec 26 A special counsel team on Friday sought a 10-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over obstruction of justice and other charges related to his December 2024 imposition of martial law.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team requested the sentence during the final hearing of Yoon's related trial at the Seoul Central District Court, saying the former president committed a "grave crime" by "privatizing" state institutions with the aim of concealing and justifying his criminal acts, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The request was the first sentencing recommendation to come from his four trials on martial law-related charges.

"The defendant's criminal acts seriously damaged law and order in the Republic of Korea and inflicted a large wound on the people who trusted him and chose him as president," a member of the team said.

"Even so, rather than conveying his regret or apology to the people during the trial proceedings, the defendant repeatedly argued for the legitimacy of his martial law declaration," he said.

The trial centers on charges the former president obstructed justice by blocking investigators from detaining him in January, violated the rights of nine Cabinet members who were not called to a meeting to review his martial law plan, and drafted and destroyed a revised proclamation after the decree was lifted.

In addition, the former president has been charged with ordering the distribution of press statements containing falsehoods about the declaration and the deletion of records from secure phones used by then military commanders.

"In order to repair the Constitution and legalism damaged by the defendant and prevent a repeat of power abuse crimes by the most powerful figures in the Republic of Korea's history, we must demand strict accountability," the special counsel team member said.

Yoon is also standing three other trials in connection with his failed martial law bid, including over charges he led an insurrection.

The obstruction of justice trial will be the first to conclude, and the court previously said it will likely deliver a verdict on Jan. 16, two days before Yoon's arrest is set to expire.

Yoon's lawyers had argued the verdict should be delivered after the insurrection trial concludes, but the judge dismissed the claim.

The insurrection trial is scheduled to wrap up in early January at the earliest, in which case a verdict could come around February.

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