Court jails South Korea’s ex-interior minister 7 years over 2024 martial law

A Seoul court on Thursday (February 12) sentenced Lee Sang-min, South Korea’s former interior minister, to seven years in prison for his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempted declaration of martial law in 2024, Yonhap reported.

The court ruled that Lee was guilty of playing a significant role in an insurrection-related offence linked to Yoon’s martial law order, with the verdict read out in a proceeding broadcast live.

Earlier, special counsel Cho Eun-suk had asked the court to impose a 15-year sentence, alleging that Lee supported the martial law declaration and instructed the police and fire authorities to cut electricity and water supplies to media outlets that were critical of the government at the time. 

The case is part of the legal process that followed the 2024 martial law attempt, which caused major political upheaval in South Korea.