Democratic Party Calls Yoon's Guilty Verdict 'Expected,' People Power Party Remains Silent

[Anchor]

Following the finalization of the first guilty verdict against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the Democratic Party of Korea has described it as an expected outcome. Meanwhile, the People Power Party, which had maintained that it could not draw conclusions until a final Supreme Court ruling was reached, did not issue a statement today (July 9).

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the story.

[Reporter]

Regarding the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a seven-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges including obstruction of arrest, the Democratic Party stated, "It is an expected conclusion," adding, "It is highly significant that the Supreme Court has confirmed the guilt of an individual who privatized state power to block a legitimate investigation."

In contrast, the People Power Party, which had repeatedly stated that it could not conclude guilt based only on the first and second trial rulings and that it would wait for the Supreme Court's final judgment, refrained from commenting again, stating that he is "someone who has already left the party."

[Choi Bo-yoon / Chief Spokesperson of the People Power Party: We have not issued any statements regarding former President Yoon Suk Yeol so far.]

In January of last year, when the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) attempted to execute an arrest warrant for former President Yoon, about 30 lawmakers from the People Power Party gathered in front of the official residence in Hannam-dong, claiming that the CIO's execution of the warrant was illegal.

[Kim Gi-hyeon / People Power Party Lawmaker (January of last year): They have repeatedly set a very bad precedent of illegal warrants, illegal arrests, and arbitrary trespassing into military protection facilities.]

The Special Counsel on Insurrection, which had been investigating these lawmakers for obstruction of arrest, issued a "dismissal" decision in December of last year. However, the second comprehensive special counsel concluded that there had been obstruction of official duties and booked four lawmakers, including Kwon Young-jin, Kim Gi-hyeon, Na Kyung-won, and Yoon Sang-hyun.

These lawmakers have protested, calling the investigation "political repression" and threatening to file counter-complaints for "legal distortion."

[Na Kyung-won / People Power Party Lawmaker (July 1): All we did was engage in non-violent, non-resistance protest, demanding that they hand over the investigation authority to the lawful police, without any violence.]

The People Power Party lawmakers who stood guard in front of the Hannam-dong residence did not issue any particular statement today regarding the first Supreme Court ruling against former President Yoon.

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Wi Won-yang | Graphics: Choi Jin-hoe)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.