'Perjury at Han Duck-soo Trial': Yoon Acquitted in First Trial... "Difficult to Conclude Testimony Contradicted Memory"

"It Appears Highly Likely
There Were Plans to Convene the Cabinet from the Start"

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was indicted on charges of perjury for testifying at the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, was acquitted in the first trial.

On May 28, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 32 (Presiding Judge Ryu Kyung-jin) acquitted former President Yoon, who had faced trial on charges of perjury. The court explained, "It appears highly likely that there were plans to convene the Cabinet members from the start, regardless of former Prime Minister Han’s recommendation," adding, "It is difficult to conclude that former President Yoon’s testimony in court was contrary to his recollection." The special prosecution team for the insurrection, led by Cho Eunsuk, had previously requested a two-year prison sentence for former President Yoon last month.

Former President Yoon had been accused of giving false testimony when he appeared as a witness at former Prime Minister Han’s insurrection trial in November last year, allegedly claiming that the Cabinet meeting was planned before Han’s recommendation on the day the emergency martial law was declared. During the trial, when the special prosecution team asked, "Did former Prime Minister Han suggest convening the Cabinet to give the appearance of legality?" Yoon responded, "Cabinet members are not mere puppets assembled just for appearances. Isn’t that question too loaded?" The special prosecution team viewed this as false testimony, interpreting it as Yoon having planned from the beginning to declare martial law after deliberation by the Cabinet, and indicted him accordingly.

Meanwhile, former President Yoon is also on trial, separately, as the alleged ringleader of the emergency martial law declaration and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial; he is currently undergoing an appellate trial. In addition, he was indicted for mobilizing Presidential Security Service staff to obstruct the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, for which he received a seven-year prison sentence in the second trial. This case is currently under Supreme Court review. In addition, he was indicted for ordering the Drone Operations Command to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles to Pyongyang in order to create justification for the martial law declaration, and the verdict for this case in the first trial is scheduled for June 21.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.