Former South Korean Justice Minister Sentenced to 25 Years for Role in Martial Law Declaration
SEOUL — A South Korean court on Monday sentenced former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae to 25 years in prison for his role in the brief and disastrous martial law declaration by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024. The ruling, delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, found Park guilty of involvement in an insurrection and abuse of power, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Park, who served as justice minister during the martial law episode, was convicted on charges that he played a key role in the insurrection by convening a meeting of senior ministry officials shortly after Yoon's declaration. The court recognized the special counsel team's argument that Park had called the meeting to review dispatching prosecutors to a martial law-supporting body, check the capacity of correctional facilities to hold politicians and key figures expected to be arrested, and order ministry officials in charge of imposing travel bans to report for work.
"The defendant ultimately turned his back on his duty of upholding the Constitution at the idea that the insurrection could succeed, choosing to instead take part in it," the court said in its verdict.
The sentence exceeded the 20-year prison term sought by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team, which had indicted Park on charges including playing a key role in an insurrection and abusing his power. The court immediately placed Park under custody, citing concerns that he might destroy evidence. The court also dismissed additional charges against Park for violating the anti-graft law, ruling that the matter did not fall under the special counsel's investigation mandate.
Park's lawyers said the sentence was not supported by facts or legal principles. On June 27, his legal team filed an appeal at the Seoul Central District Court, four days after the sentencing, according to judiciary sources.
The martial law declaration by Yoon, which lasted only about six hours, was voted down by lawmakers in an emergency session, plunging South Korea into an unprecedented political crisis. Yoon has since been convicted of leading an insurrection and sentenced to life imprisonment; he is in detention while appealing the ruling.
Park is among several members of Yoon's Cabinet who have been convicted of playing a key role in the insurrection. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is serving a 15-year prison term, and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min was sentenced to nine years. Last week, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to three years in prison, according to Yonhap reports.
Prosecutors had argued that Park, as justice minister, "instructed cooperation with the martial law command... on the assumption that a decree would be effective." They also said he had "reduced the law to a tool of insurrection in his abuse of power and posed a challenge to the rule of law," and that he had shown no remorse.
The case stems from Yoon's late-night televised address in December 2024, which caught key allies like the United States off-guard and triggered protests and a stock market plunge. The martial law declaration lasted only about six hours as lawmakers raced to the National Assembly building and voted it down.