Special counsel seeks $7,150 fine for ex-President Yoon over perjury

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol / Korea Times file

A special counsel team on Wednesday sought a 10 million-won ($7,150) fine for former President Yoon Suk Yeol during his appellate trial on perjury charges.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team made the request at the Seoul High Court, after a lower court acquitted him of committing perjury during former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's insurrection trial in November.

Yoon had testified in the trial that he had intended to convene a Cabinet meeting for his martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024. Cho's team believes that Yoon had only decided to call the meeting at Han's suggestion that day.

The lower court acquitted Yoon of perjury in May, ruling that he appeared to have had plans to convene the meeting regardless of Han's proposal.

Cho's team, which appealed the lower ruling, requested the appellate court to overturn the acquittal during the trial's final hearing.

In his final statement, Yoon argued he had planned to hold a Cabinet meeting before his declaration, claiming he called in additional Cabinet members in order to reach a quorum.

The Seoul High Court scheduled the trial's sentencing for Sept. 16.

The jailed former president is standing multiple trials following his failed martial law bid and subsequent ouster from office.

A district court sentenced him to life in prison in February for leading an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law. He has appealed that ruling.