Prosecutors ask court to impose five-year sentence on pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon for riot involvement
South Korean prosecutors have requested a five-year prison term for pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, accusing him of inciting a courthouse riot last year.
In a hearing at the Seoul Western District Court, prosecutors sought a five-year imprisonment for pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, linking him to a riot that erupted outside the courthouse last year. Jeon is charged with prompting trespassing in specially protected court areas, breaching the Assembly and Demonstration Act, and obstructing traffic by urging rally participants gathered in Gwanghwamun Square to proceed to the court.
The disturbance followed a judicial decision to prolong former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention related to a martial-law proclamation made in December 2024. Prosecutors contend that Jeon’s actions encouraged the violent conduct of pro-Yoon demonstrators on Jan. 19, describing the attack on the judiciary as a serious crime that threatens legal order. The request for a five-year term reflects the gravity with which authorities view the alleged incitement.
Why it matters
The case highlights tensions between political activism and judicial independence in South Korea.
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