Live Broadcast of Supreme Court Ruling on Former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Case
The Supreme Court has announced that it will broadcast live the final appeal ruling for former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s case, which involves charges of obstructing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). The ruling is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. on the 9th, marking a significant moment in the legal proceedings against Yoon since the December 3 emergency martial law incident 583 days ago.
The Supreme Court’s Third Division, presided over by Justice Lee Sook-yeon, confirmed on the 7th that it had approved a live broadcast request for the final appeal ruling on charges including obstruction of official duties against Yoon. These charges were filed by the Cho Eun-suk Special Prosecution Team. The court plans to transmit real-time footage captured using its own equipment to broadcasters.
This decision comes after the installation of broadcasting equipment in Courtroom 1, where Yoon’s final appeal ruling will be held. While the Supreme Court has been broadcasting plenary session rulings since August 2020, this will be the first time a smaller division’s ruling is aired live. Additionally, this is the first instance of a Supreme Court ruling being broadcast live for cases prosecuted by the three major special prosecution teams: insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the deceased Marines.
Yoon’s legal team expressed concerns about the live broadcast, submitting an opinion to the Supreme Court on the same day. They argued that the broadcast could infringe on the defendant’s right to a fair trial, personal rights, and reputation, potentially causing irreparable harm. They also warned that the broadcast might politicize the trial and spark unnecessary debates about judicial independence. According to Yoon’s legal team, broadcasting the ruling could amplify the symbolic and political significance of the footage, deepening social conflict and polarization between different factions.
However, the Supreme Court rejected these arguments. Under the Insurrection Special Counsel Act, the presiding judge must permit a live broadcast unless there are exceptional circumstances, if requested by the special prosecutor or the defendant.
Yoon is facing five charges in this case:
- Violating the State Council’s martial law deliberation rights (abuse of authority)
- Approving the post-facto creation and destruction of the martial law proclamation document (fabrication and use of false official documents)
- Directing false press releases to foreign media (abuse of authority)
- Ordering the deletion of secure phone records (abuse of authority instigation)
- Obstructing the CIO’s arrest (obstruction of official duties)
In the first trial, most of these charges were found guilty, resulting in a five-year prison sentence. The appellate court overturned two charges previously deemed not guilty by the first trial—violating the State Council’s martial law deliberation rights (abuse of authority) and directing false press releases to foreign media after the martial law proclamation (abuse of authority)—and increased the sentence to seven years. Both Yoon and the special prosecution team have appealed, leaving the final judgment to the Supreme Court.
Membership Offers for Newspaper Readers
For those interested in accessing more content, there are several membership options available:
- 5900 won membership, with newspaper readers eligible for 2900 won
- 55000 won worth of 8 newspapers and magazines
- Receive 7000 points to use like cash for shopping
These offers provide additional value for readers looking to stay informed and engaged with the latest news.
