Most of 36 Defendants in Seoul Western District Court Incident Receive Prison Sentences on Appeal, Some See Reduced Terms

[Financial News] Most of the protesters and others who broke into the Seoul Western District Court and caused property damage in a riot last January have had their prison sentences upheld on appeal. Director Jung Yoon-seok, who entered the court to cover the incident as a documentary filmmaker, was also fined.
On the 24th, the 8th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court, presided over by Judge Kim Sung-soo, delivered its verdict in the appeal trial for 36 defendants charged in connection with the intrusion at the Seoul Western District Court, including charges of special trespassing.
The court upheld the original sentences for 16 of the defendants and reduced the sentences for 20 others. Of those, 18 still received prison terms, but their sentences were reduced by two to four months. Two defendants were given suspended sentences.
The court maintained a strict stance toward those who entered the interior of the Seoul Western District Court, damaged property, assaulted police officers, or directly harmed vehicles belonging to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). It was noted that the defendants broke through the third police barricade, entered the building, and instilled severe fear in staff and CIO employees trapped in vehicles.
The court rejected all grounds for appeal raised by both the defendants and the prosecution.
Regarding sentencing, the court stated, "As a result, the court was unable to fully perform its constitutional role and function, leading to an unconstitutional outcome. Testimonies in the record confirm that public officials at the Seoul Western District Court and CIO officials trapped in vehicles feared for their lives due to this incident. Therefore, punishment commensurate with the severity of the crime is inevitable."
However, for some defendants who admitted their crimes, showed remorse, and worked to make amends during the appeal, the court found a low risk of recidivism and slightly reduced their sentences.
On January 18, these individuals blocked CIO vehicles and detained staff after a pretrial detention warrant hearing for former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In the early hours of the following day, they broke into the Seoul Western District Court and damaged the building.
Previously, 59 people were sentenced in the first trial for this case, and the appeal trial was held for 36 of them.
Meanwhile, Jung Yoon-seok, who entered the court premises for filming with the purpose of reporting and was charged with trespassing, was also found guilty and received the same fine as in the original trial. Jung argued, "After entering the court premises, I did not join or cooperate with the protesters and remained separate, so it cannot be said that I demonstrated collective force." However, this argument was not accepted.
The court stated, "Even considering that Jung Yoon-seok entered with a sense of duty to document a historic event, he was well aware that police were restricting entry to the court at the time. While constitutional rights such as freedom of expression and art must be protected, they cannot be guaranteed at the expense of others' rights and interests."
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter