Court to Rule on Ex-President Yoon's Trial over Appointment of Former Envoy to Australia
The court said it was unclear whether Yoon intended to block the investigation into Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun's death.
- On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of aiding a criminal's flight, rejecting charges he appointed former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia to disrupt an investigation.
- Prosecutors alleged Yoon sent Lee to Canberra to evade an investigation into the 2023 death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, though the court found insufficient evidence the appointment was intended to disrupt the probe.
- Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon had requested a five-year prison sentence for Yoon, while the court also acquitted co-defendants former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae.
- Despite the acquittal, Yoon remains embroiled in multiple criminal trials after his removal from office in April 2025, including an ongoing appeal against a life sentence for his 2024 martial law decree.
- Separately, special counsel Min Joong-ki requested a four-year prison term for Yoon on Friday regarding an appellate trial on receiving free opinion polls worth 137.2 million won during his 2022 presidential campaign.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Yoon Suk-yeol acquitted in case linked to South Korean marine’s death
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol was acquitted on Friday in a case related to a marine’s drowning death in a rare reprieve in one of the criminal cases brought against him following his ousting for imposing martial law. The independent counsel’s indictment had alleged Yoon deliberately appointed former defence minister Lee Jong-Sup as his ambassador to Australia to help him leave the country and evade a criminal investigation into the…
Yoon acquitted in case related to South Korean marine's drowning in rare legal reprieve
Yoon's former Justice Minister and Presidential Security Director were among other defendants also acquitted of charges that they colluded with Yoon to help Mr. Lee sidestep the investigation
Winnipeg Free Press
Yoon acquitted in case related to South Korean marine's drowning in a rare legal reprieve
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was acquitted Friday in a case related to a marine’s drowning death in a rare reprieve in one of the criminal cases brought against him following his ouster for imposing martial law.
Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was indicted on charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive for appointing former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as Ambassador to Australia while Lee was under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for alleged external pressure on the Chae Sang-byeong case, was acquitted in the first trial. On the 11th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 22 (Presidin…
The special counsel requested a four-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk-youl during the final hearing of his appeal trial for violating the Political Funds Act. Former President Yoon is accused of accepting opinion polls free of charge during the presidential election and exerting influence over the nomination of former lawmaker Kim Young-sun. Emphasizing the undermining of representative democracy, the special counsel requested …
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