Ex-President Yoon Defends Actions in Rebellion Trial, Reacts to Sentence

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared in court for the appeal trial of his rebellion leadership case, asserting the legitimacy of deploying military personnel to the National Election Commission (NEC) during a state of emergency. He argued that the deployment was solely to inspect the commission's server security, countering the prosecution's claim that it was an attempt to manipulate elections and justify the suspension of the National Assembly.

"The act of sending the martial law troops to the NEC to check whether the server security was properly supplemented cannot be considered an investigation into election fraud," Yoon stated. He further contended that demonstrating the need to inspect the NEC's systems proved the state of emergency was not aimed at establishing a dictatorship. His defense team reiterated this stance during a subsequent hearing, emphasizing the importance of cyber security and questioning whether Yoon had ordered checks on cyber security from the beginning of his term.

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The act of sending the martial law troops to the NEC to check whether the server security was properly supplemented cannot be considered an investigation into election fraud.

Adding a dramatic turn to the proceedings, Yoon reportedly accessed the Supreme Court's ruling on his separate case of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant via his lawyer's mobile phone during the appeal trial. The Supreme Court upheld his seven-year prison sentence in that case. Upon hearing the verdict, Yoon was described as letting out a "hollow laugh," while his lawyer expressed strong disapproval. Some observers in the courtroom were seen crying, prompting Yoon's lawyer to offer words of comfort.

The former president faces eight criminal trials, and this obstruction of justice case marks the first time a final Supreme Court ruling has been issued. The remaining trials are expected to proceed swiftly under the rebellion special prosecutor law, with further verdicts anticipated soon.

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We have seen too many children being taken home without treatment, and many never return because their families cannot arrange the money.