Raw sentence, though not the highest
The prosecution demanded the death punishment for Jun Suk Jeola, accusing him of directing the coup, and justice Dzi Gwi Jeon pointed out that the main nonsubjective of the erstwhile president's actions was to block the work of the National Assembly utilizing armed forces. Additionally, Jun was found guilty of abuse.
Former Minister of Defence, Kim Jong Hjun, in turn received 30 years in prison, and 4 another officers, including erstwhile police chiefs, were sentenced to penalties from 3 to 18 years. 2 defendants were acquitted. All convicts have 7 days to appeal.
65-year-old Jun accepted the conviction calmly, and the court pointed out in the justification the absence of his repentance. However, mitigating circumstances were considered to be the imprecise nature of the planned coup, its failure and the fact that no sharp ammunition was used.
Exceptional safety measures
The judgement was announced with exceptional safety measures, and hundreds of supporters of Jun gathered before the court, chanting his name and waving flags of South Korea and the US. The right-wing groups announced a rally for over 4,000 people.
The last leader in South Korea to be tried for the coup was Czon Du Hwan, whose prosecution besides claimed the death penalty, but in 1996 he was sentenced to life imprisonment, and the following year was pardoned by then president Kim Jong Sam. South Korea is in practice abolitionist and has not been executed since December 1997.
Jun's conviction was 443 days after his martial law was introduced on 4 December 2024 in the same area where Hwan was sentenced in 1996.
A martial law that lasted 6 hours
3 December 2024. Jun Suk Jeol declared martial law and sent troops to parliament and led to Jun's impeachment and early election won by left-wing Li Dze Mjung candidate.
This is not the first conviction for Jun, as he was sentenced to 5 years in prison in mid-January for utilizing presidential protection to block arrest and abuse in the introduction of martial law in late 2024, after which he was yet arrested after a fewer hours of assault of his residence.
