Prosecutors Seek 5-Year Prison Term for Former Presidential Secretary Yoon Jae-soon Over Alleged Interference in National Security Office Appointments

Prosecutors have requested a five-year prison sentence for Yoon Jae-soon, the former secretary for general affairs at the presidential office, who is on trial for alleged interference in appointments at the National Security Office.
On July 20, the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok requested the five-year term during the final hearing for Yoon, held at the Seoul Central District Court under the 23rd Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Oh Se-yong), citing the gravity of the crime and the nature of the offense.
A three-year prison sentence was requested for People Power Party lawmaker Lim Jong-deuk, who was indicted alongside Yoon while serving as the second deputy director of the National Security Office at the time.
The special counsel team stated, "This case is not merely about the dispatch of a single military officer to the National Security Office," adding, "The essence of the matter is that the authority of the highest power institutions, namely the Presidential Secretariat and the National Security Office, was used as a tool to fulfill private personnel requests, undermining the fairness and objectivity of military appointments."
The prosecution further criticized, "While the Defendant claims it was a simple personnel recommendation, his request carried a different weight given his significant influence within the presidential office as a close aide to former President Yoon Suk Yeol." They added, "Lawmaker Lim also failed to stop the request despite being informed of the solicitation, instead suppressing internal opposition by saying, 'We have no choice but to select them.'"
The Attorney for the Defendant and the Attorney for the lawmaker argued that the case did not fall under the scope of the special counsel law and that the charges were not proven, calling for the dismissal of the indictment or an acquittal.
In his final statement, the Defendant said, "I am standing trial for passing on a personnel recommendation I received from someone I respect," adding, "I am sorry for causing such trouble as a staff member serving the President."
Lawmaker Lim stated, "I was completely unaware of any abuse of power in the process of having the individual dispatched to the National Security Office, and I had no motive or benefit to gain from the dispatch," and requested, "Please apply the law fairly so that no injustice occurs."
The Defendant is accused of receiving a request from an acquaintance around September 2023 and pressuring Lawmaker Lim and then-Defense Secretary Lim Ki-hoon to appoint a specific individual to a position responsible for drone strategy, which was being dispatched to the National Crisis Management Center under the National Security Office.
The sentencing is scheduled for September 21.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.