Ex-justice minister sentenced to 25 years for role in martial law plot

A South Korean court has sentenced former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae to 25 years in prison for his significant supporting role in the 2024 martial law plot orchestrated by then-President Yoon Suk-yeol. The Seoul Central District Court found Park guilty of aiding an insurrection, determining that his actions were carried out with the explicit intent of subverting the Constitution.

During the martial law period, Park was found to have ordered travel bans on individuals who defied the proclamation. He also secured space within correctional facilities for detaining people and authorized the dispatch of personnel to a joint investigation headquarters established under the martial law command. The court emphasized that Park was aware of the illegal nature of these actions when he carried them out.

Immediately following the verdict, Park was remanded into custody. The court cited the risk that he might destroy evidence as the primary reason for this immediate detention. The sentencing marks a significant legal development in the aftermath of the 2024 insurrection.