Han Byung-do: “Severe punishment is common sense of the people”… Seo Young-kyo: “A different judgment would be a ‘judicial coup'”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Kyu-jin = The Democratic Party pressured the judiciary on the 18th, a day before the first trial verdict on former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was indicted for being the chief instigator of a rebellion related to the December 3 martial law, stating that “fulfilling the historical duty with the maximum legal sentence” is necessary.
In a press conference held at the National Assembly, Floor Leader Han Byung-do stated that “it is the common sense of the people that Yoon Seok-yeol, the ‘ringleader of the rebellion’ who trampled on the constitution and democracy, and his accomplices should receive severe punishment.”
Floor Leader Han added, “The court has defined the December 3 martial law in the judgments of Han Deok-soo and Lee Sang-min as a rebellion mobilizing the military and police with the purpose of disrupting the state constitution,” stressing that “the people demand, unequivocally, the maximum legal sentence for the traitors.”
In a written briefing, Spokesperson Baek Seung-a stated, “Today is a historic judgment day for the ringleader of the rebellion that violated the constitutional order, and it will be a watershed in the trial of the rebellion,” urging the judiciary to clearly demonstrate its will to protect the constitution and democracy with the maximum legal sentence.
Spokesperson Baek criticized, “Yoon Seok-yeol has not issued a single word of apology or reflection. Instead, he is mocking the people with absurd rhetoric and shameless behavior,” asserting that “the people are awaiting a stern judgment. Leniency would only be the seed of another constitutional destruction.”
On the same day, the ruling party’s lawmaker Seo Young-kyo held a press conference at the National Assembly, urging the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Gui-yeon) to “sentence Yoon Seok-yeol to the maximum legal penalty, death.”
Seo, a member of the National Assembly’s Legislative and Judiciary Committee, remarked that “the legal tactics attempted by Yoon’s lawyers are merely playful stunts, and not just Korea, but the entire world must witness the Ji Gui-yeon tribunal handing down the death sentence.”
Addressing the court, Seo added, “Due to the previous preposterous decision to cancel Yoon Seok-yeol’s detention, the people of Korea cannot trust you, but if you make any judgment or decision that contradicts the common sense of the people, it could only be deemed a ‘judicial coup.'”