South Korea’s special counsel team probing the martial law declaration filed an appeal on December 18 against the first-instance court’s decision to impose a suspended seven-year sentence on former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min.
Appeal Centers on Key Evidence from Raid
The appeal targets a single count related to Lee’s alleged order to cut power and water supplies to online news outlets. Investigators conducted a search and seizure at Lee’s office, citing misapplication of facts, legal errors, and sentencing documents as grounds for challenging the ruling.
Court’s Rationale in Original Verdict
On December 12, the district court sentenced Lee to seven years’ imprisonment with suspension, despite the special counsel seeking a 15-year suspended term. The court determined that Lee received documents from former President Yoon Suk Yeol outlining plans to block the National Assembly and sever utilities to online media outlets. Lee then passed these instructions to Heo Seok-gon, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency chief at the time.
Judges ruled this constituted participation in core activities of the internal rebellion. They further classified the utility cutoff orders as integral to executing the plot, aligning with constitutional violation events. The December 3 emergency martial law declaration qualifies as rebellion under the law.
Additional Legal Proceedings
Lee also faces a separate arrest warrant for failing to appear during a raid on December 14. As the individual directing responses through the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, his detention status awaits review by the Seoul High Court detention division on December 23.
