Ex-President Yoon Acquitted of Perjury in Martial Law Testimony Case

A Seoul court has acquitted former President Yoon Suk-yeol of perjury charges stemming from his testimony in a previous trial concerning the 1979 martial law declaration. Yoon had testified that he intended to convene a State Council meeting to declare martial law from the beginning, regardless of any recommendations.

The court found that Yoon's statement was a subjective assessment of his intentions and therefore not subject to perjury laws, which apply to false statements about experienced facts. The prosecution had accused Yoon of lying, claiming he had no intention of convening the council or securing a quorum before the declaration.

However, the court's decision contrasts with earlier rulings in related cases. Previous trials concerning former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Yoon himself had indicated that the plan to convene the State Council was initiated after Han Duck-soo suggested it. The current ruling suggests Yoon had already planned to gather State Council members, including summoning additional officials, before receiving Han's proposal.

Evidence cited by the court included documents related to martial law being prepared before Yoon met with then-Minister of Planning and Budget Choi Sang-mok for a second time, and testimony from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. These points led the court to believe Yoon had a plan to convene the council. The prosecution, which had sought a two-year prison sentence, stated they were surprised by the verdict and would review the ruling before deciding on an appeal.