Why did the court dismiss the special counsel indictment of Rep. Lim Jong-deuk?

The court said the indictment was outside the special counsel team’s mandate because that mandate focuses on allegations stemming from former Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed 2024 martial law bid. Lim had been charged over a 2023 personnel appointment at the presidential Office of National Security.

Ex-military commanders get severe prison terms for martial law roles

Q: Why were former military commanders sentenced over Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law bid?

The court found them guilty of multiple charges tied to the failed martial law declaration, including sending troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission. It also said they organized and operated arrest teams for politicians after the Dec. 3, 2024 declaration.

Q: How long were Yeo In-hyung and the other former commanders sentenced to prison?

Yeo In-hyung received 18 years, Lee Jin-woo 15 years, Moon Sang-ho 12 years, Park An-su 10 years, and Kwak Jong-keun nine years. The court gave Yeo the heaviest term.

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Summary

A Seoul court on Monday sentenced five former military commanders to heavy prison terms for roles in an insurrection tied to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed 2024 martial law bid. The Seoul Central District Court gave Yeo In-hyung 18 years, Lee Jin-woo 15 years, Moon Sang-ho 12 years, Park An-su 10 years, and Kwak Jong-keun nine years. The court said they sent troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and organized arrest teams for politicians after the Dec. 3, 2024 declaration. In a separate trial, the court dismissed the indictment of Rep. Lim Jong-deuk, ruling it was outside the special counsel’s mandate.

Key Facts

The court said Yeo In-hyung was guilty of attempting to arrest politicians, including President Lee Jae Myung when he was the leader of the then main opposition Democratic Party.
Special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team had sought 30-year terms for Yeo and Lee, a 25-year term for Park, and 20-year terms for Kwak and Moon.
The ruling came after Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February for leading an insurrection through his martial law bid.
The military commanders withdrew after the National Assembly voted to lift the emergency decree on the night of the declaration.
The court dismissed the special counsel’s indictment of Rep. Lim Jong-deuk, saying the case fell outside the team’s investigation mandate.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 21, 2026 4:54 pm KST
Updated Sep 21, 2026 5:15 pm KST

From left, Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command; Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command; Kwak Jong-keun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command; and Moon Sang-ho, former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command / Yonhap

A Seoul court on Monday sentenced five former military commanders to heavy prison terms after finding them guilty of playing key roles in an insurrection under former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed 2024 martial law bid.

The Seoul Central District Court handed out an 18-year prison term for Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and a 15-year term for Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command.

It also gave a 12-year term for Moon Sang-ho, former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command, a 10-year term for former Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who served as the martial law commander, and a nine-year term for Kwak Jong-keun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command.

The court found the defendants guilty of multiple charges, including sending troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and organizing and operating arrest teams for politicians after Yoon's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team had sought 30-year terms for Yeo and Lee, a 25-year term for Park, and 20-year terms for Kwak and Moon.

The court handed the heaviest term to Yeo, finding him guilty of attempting to arrest politicians, including President Lee Jae Myung who at the time served as the leader of the then main opposition Democratic Party.

It also ruled that he was aware of the illegal nature of the purpose of Yoon's martial law bid through his meetings with Yoon and then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun before the declaration.

"Insurrection crimes, which endanger the existence of the state, are grave to the extent that they are incomparable to any other offense," the court said. "The defendants abandoned the military's political neutrality and used the military politically for a certain party."

While martial law troops descended on the parliament compound and the election watchdog on the night of Yoon's declaration, they withdrew soon after the National Assembly voted to lift the emergency decree.

The ruling comes after Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February for leading an insurrection through his martial law bid. Yoon's case is currently under review at an appellate court.

In a separate trial Monday, the court dismissed the special counsel's indictment of Rep. Lim Jong-deuk of the main opposition People Power Party on charges of power abuse over a personnel appointment at the presidential Office of National Security in 2023.

The special counsel team charged Lim, who served as second deputy national security adviser at the time, of unfairly hiring a military officer for a position at the office's national crisis management center.

The court ruled the indictment fell outside the team's investigation mandate, which focuses on allegations stemming from former Yoon's failed 2024 martial law bid.

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