South Korean court convicts 34 student activists for illegal entry into presidential and U.S. bases

In a ruling by the Seoul Western District Court, 34 activists from the Korean Progressive University Student Union were found guilty of illegal entry into the former presidential compound and a U.S. military installation from 2022 to 2024. The senior union leader received a suspended four-month prison sentence, while 32 others were ordered to pay fines between 1 million and 6 million won; another activist faced a deferred fine of 1 million won, and two were cleared of charges.

Their offenses included protests against South Korea-U.S. joint exercises in August 2022 and March 2023, and attempts in January and October 2024 to breach the Yongsan presidential compound to call for President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation and an investigation of first lady Kim Keon Hee. The court concluded the group coordinated in advance, sharing picket signs and planning entry routes, and warned that their actions could have jeopardized national security given the compound's proximity to the defense ministry. While acknowledging freedom of expression, the judgment emphasized the need to observe legal boundaries.