Key facts
- A Seoul court was set to rule Friday on former President Yoon Suk Yeol's charges.
- Yoon is accused of helping former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup evade investigation by appointing him ambassador to Australia.
- Prosecutors seek a five-year prison sentence for Yoon.
- Lee Jong-sup was appointed ambassador in November 2023 and left for Australia in March 2024.
- Three-year prison terms were recommended for former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae.
A Seoul court was scheduled to deliver a ruling on Friday regarding charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of facilitating the evasion of a criminal investigation for a former defense minister by appointing him as ambassador to Australia in 2023. The Seoul Central District Court was set to announce its decision at 2 p.m. local time.
The special counsel team, led by Lee Myeong-hyeon, has requested a five-year prison sentence for Yoon. Prosecutors allege that Yoon ordered the appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador in November 2023 to prevent him from facing an investigation into the alleged cover-up of a Marine's death earlier that year. The special counsel team suspects Yoon aimed to send Lee, a key figure in the cover-up case, abroad to obstruct the investigation.
Lee Jong-sup departed for Australia in March 2024 but returned shortly thereafter amid the ensuing controversy. In addition to Yoon, the special counsel team has recommended three-year prison sentences for five other officials, including former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. These individuals are accused of playing a role in Lee's appointment and subsequent departure to Australia under Yoon's alleged directives.
Yoon is currently involved in several other legal proceedings, including trials related to his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law in 2024, allegations of corruption involving his wife, and the case concerning the Marine's death. He was previously sentenced to life in prison in February for charges related to the martial law bid, a decision currently under appeal.