Seoul Court Hands Heavy Prison Terms to Five Ex-Military Leaders Over 2024 Martial Law Plot

On Monday, a Seoul court imposed heavy prison sentences on five former senior military officials for their participation in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed 2024 martial-law bid. Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, received an 18-year term; Lee Jin-woo, ex-chief of the Capital Defense Command, was sentenced to 15 years; Moon Sang-ho, former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command, got 12 years; Park An-su, the former Army Chief of Staff who acted as the martial-law commander, received 10 years; and Kwak Jong-keun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, was given nine years.

The court found them guilty of sending troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and organizing arrest teams for politicians after Yoon's Dec. 3, 2024 declaration. Prosecutors had requested terms up to 30 years. In a related case, the court threw out the special counsel's indictment of People Power Party lawmaker Lim Jong-deuk, stating the charge lay beyond the investigation's scope.