Five-Year Prison Term for Obstructing Arrest; Yoon’s Camp to Appeal Immediately... “Politicized Ruling”

According to Financial News, the camp of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was sentenced to five years in prison on charges including obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant, denounced the first-instance ruling and declared, “We will file an immediate appeal.”
Yoon’s legal team delivered this position to reporters on the 16th, immediately after Criminal Division 35 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Baek Dae-hyun, Chief Judge of the Criminal Division, Seoul Central District Court, sentenced former President Yoon, who had been indicted on charges including obstruction of the performance of special official duties, to five years in prison.
Yoon’s side criticized the first-instance decision as “a ruling that accepted the special prosecutor’s one-sided arguments in their entirety,” arguing that Yoon’s right to defense in the proceedings had not been sufficiently guaranteed.
Attorney Song Jin-ho said, “This goes against existing precedents of the Supreme Court of Korea; it contradicts them across the board, and it seems the judge created his own legal theory,” adding, “It will inevitably be overturned by the higher court.” He thus made clear their intention to appeal immediately.
Yu Jeong-hwa, another attorney, argued, “Today’s guilty verdict excessively simplifies the boundary between the exercise of powers under the Constitution and criminal liability,” and warned, “If this reasoning is maintained as is, no future president will be able to make decisions in times of crisis, and acts of governance could at any time be reconstructed ex post as criminal offenses.”
She went on to say, “A criminal trial must be conducted strictly on the basis of law, not politics,” and added, “We strongly regret that the ruling was rendered in a politicized manner.”
Yoon’s side also raised objections regarding the Special Panel for Insurrection Cases, which is scheduled to begin operating on the 23rd of next month. Attorney Song stated, “The Special Panel for Insurrection Cases itself is unconstitutional,” and said they would consider requesting an Adjudication on the Constitutionality of Law. He further suggested that if they conclude the unconstitutionality is serious, they may even reconsider whether to appear in court, thereby hinting at the possibility of non-appearance.
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter