Special Counsel Seeks 20-Year Prison Term for Choo Kyung-ho... "Betrayed the Constitution" vs. "Political Demand"

[Anchor]

The special counsel has demanded a heavy prison sentence of 20 years for Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho, who was indicted on charges of obstructing the National Assembly's vote to lift the emergency martial law during the December 3 emergency martial law. While the special counsel strongly criticized the act as a betrayal of the Constitution, Mayor Choo pushed back, calling it an absurd and politically motivated demand.

Reporter Im Chanjong has the details.

[Reporter]

The charge brought against Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho by the special counsel for the insurrection is engaging in a key mission of an insurrection.

The accusation is that Mayor Choo, who was the floor leader of the People Power Party at the time of the emergency martial law declaration on December 3, 2024, hindered People Power Party lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift the martial law.

The special counsel believes that after receiving a request for cooperation from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's side, Mayor Choo changed the location of the general meeting of lawmakers three times, preventing 90 out of the 108 People Power Party lawmakers from participating in the martial law lifting vote.

During the first-instance sentencing hearing held today (September 30), the special counsel defined Mayor Choo's actions as "actively carrying out the mission to block the National Assembly's resolution to lift martial law during the insurrection instigated by former President Yoon."

The special counsel then asked the court to sentence him to 20 years in prison, stating, "Show the world what kind of legal price is paid for betraying the Constitution and deceiving the public."

The 20-year prison term demanded for Mayor Choo is the second-highest first-instance sentencing demand among defendants charged with key missions in this insurrection case, following former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

In response, Mayor Choo argued that he had never received a request from former President Yoon to obstruct the martial law lifting vote, and that changing the location of the lawmakers' meeting was a measure taken without any intention to block the resolution, meaning he never hindered participation in the vote.

[Choo Kyung-ho / Mayor of Daegu (After today's sentencing hearing): (The special counsel) followed up the political suppression indictment with an absurd political sentence demand today, and I must express my deep regret.]

The court announced that it will hand down its ruling on November 18.

(Video by Kang Si-woo, Video Editing by Yoon Tae-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.