Jang Dong-hyuk Says Presumption of Innocence Must Apply to Yoon, Vows to Cut Ties with 'Anti-Yoon' Faction

According to Financial News, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk effectively rejected the first-trial ruling on the 20th, after former President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment in the initial verdict on charges of leading a rebellion. Reaffirming his position that "martial law is not the same as rebellion," he argued that the principle of presumption of innocence must be applied. Addressing those inside and outside the party who are demanding a complete break with Yoon, he said this was "sowing the seeds of division" and stressed, "The forces we must firmly sever ties with are these people."
At a press briefing at the National Assembly that day, Jang said, "Yesterday, there was a first-trial ruling on the December 3 martial law declaration. Former President Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment," adding, "It is heartbreaking and devastating."
Jang noted, "The People Power Party has consistently made clear its position that martial law itself does not constitute rebellion, and we have also repeatedly pointed out that the investigation into rebellion charges by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was unlawful." He argued, "The first-trial ruling failed to provide grounds or explanations sufficient to overturn these claims."
He went on, "When a court hands down a judgment without conviction, one can sense a trembling of conscience," and added, "I believe the logical gaps found throughout the written judgment are the last traces of conscience left by Judge Ji Gui-yeon."
Emphasizing that this is only a first-trial decision, Jang insisted that the presumption of innocence must be upheld without exception. "Former President Yoon has already faced constitutional and political judgment over the martial law issue through impeachment, and he is also undergoing judicial review," he said. "The People Power Party received political judgment from the people in the last presidential election as well."
Jang criticized Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the reformist group Alternative and Future, who argued immediately after the verdict that the party must sever ties with the "Yoon Again" faction. "We have already issued our position multiple times on apologies and on cutting ties, and we have continued efforts toward change and reform based on that," he said. "Nevertheless, repeatedly calling for apologies and severance is sowing the seeds of division, and division is the worst form of incompetence." He added, "Those who exploit the president’s name for their own gain, those who use the rhetoric of severance to split the party—these are the forces we must firmly cut off."
He also argued that the party should not exclude people associated with the "Yoon Again" camp or with electoral fraud conspiracy theories. "Even if some voices are somewhat harsh or not unified, we must not ignore the voices of those who hold different views from ours," Jang said. "The role of the People Power Party is to embrace diverse voices and energies in a constructive framework, even when they differ from our own. That is what true additive politics and expansion of our base look like." He continued, "There are many people fighting outside the institutional framework to defend the free Republic of Korea," and appealed, "Gather under the banner of the People Power Party and join forces. Only when we unite can we fight properly and with full strength."
Jang also described the government and ruling party’s unilateral dominance as a "silent rebellion." He said, "Former President Yoon has accepted every form of review, whether by the Constitutional Court of Korea or by the ordinary courts. Yet President Lee Jae-myung has used the power of his office to ignore the will of the majority and has halted all five trials on twelve charges by invoking the non-prosecution privilege under Article 84 of the Constitution." He pressed further, saying, "It is Lee and the Democratic Party’s evasion of legal judgment that is truly shameful and what they must apologize to the people for."
He added, "While handing down a guilty verdict on rebellion charges, the court also acknowledged that the president had no proper means to respond when the National Assembly impeached key officials and slashed the budget." Jang argued, "Under the guise of the Constitution, the Democratic Party has paralyzed the executive branch. In that it used its power to incapacitate state institutions, its actions are not much different from rebellion."
Jang concluded, "The Democratic Party now controls both the executive and legislative branches and is trying to dominate the judiciary as well." He appealed to voters, saying, "The people must sternly judge the Democratic Party, which has continued a silent rebellion through legislative dictatorship."

haeram@fnnews.com Lee Haeram Reporter