South Korea’s judicial system delivered a resounding blow to political impunity on Thursday, as former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min was handed a seven-year prison term by the Seoul Central District Court. The decision, which captivated viewers through its live telecast, pins blame on Lee for his central involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched 2024 martial law imposition.
Drawing from extensive evidence, the court highlighted Lee’s orchestration of orders directing law enforcement and emergency services to sever electricity and water to media houses vocal against the government. Special prosecutor Cho Yoon-sook sought 15 years, painting a picture of Lee as a key enabler in Yoon’s desperate bid to cling to power.
Detained since August, Lee faced compounded accusations of perjury in Yoon’s impeachment proceedings. Defiant to the end, he rejected claims of handling utility cutoff documents or issuing such commands during his emotional closing remarks. ‘It’s implausible that I plunged into a rebellion without prior knowledge, assuming a major role in minutes,’ Lee stated, visibly moved while expressing gratitude to his lawyers.
Echoing this accountability drive, Yoon’s spouse, Kim Keon Hee, was earlier convicted on January 28 to 20 months in jail for profiting from high-value Unification Church gifts tied to business gains. Her lighter sentence and acquittals on graver charges sparked debates over judicial consistency.
These verdicts illuminate the fragility of democratic norms in South Korea, where a single leader’s overreach nearly unraveled institutions. With ongoing probes into the martial law saga, Lee’s punishment reinforces the rule of law, deterring future authoritarian impulses and restoring faith in governance.