Heavy prison sentences have been demanded for former high-ranking military generals indicted on charges of deploying troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and forming and operating arrest squads targeting politicians during the December 3 emergency martial law incident.

During the sentencing hearing held today by the 26th Criminal Settlement Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-kyung), the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok requested 30-year prison terms for both former Defense Security Commander Yeo In-hyung and former Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo.

The special counsel also requested a 25-year prison term for former Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who served as martial law commander during the incident, and 20-year prison terms for former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-keun and former Defense Intelligence Commander Moon Sang-ho.

In its closing argument, the special counsel team pointed out, "The defendants' acts of insurrection ignored constitutional and legal procedures and sought to paralyze the exercise of authority by state institutions such as the National Assembly through violent means, fundamentally undermining the core values of democracy."

The team also rebuked them, stating, "As general-grade officers holding leading positions representing the ROK Armed Forces, the defendants were well aware of what consequences their actions would bring to the nation, the military, the people, and service members. However, for personal glory and to monopolize and maintain power, they dragged the military into the insurrection and reduced it into private soldiers of the insurrectionist forces."

The special counsel noted that the four defendants excluding former General Park did not merely follow superior orders mechanically, but participated in plotting and preparation well before the martial law declaration. The special counsel stated, "There is a saying in military strategy: 'Those who seek to live will die, and those who face death will live.' It means that on a battlefield where lives are at stake, soldiers must fight with a resolve to die, without questioning directives under a commander's leadership. By mobilizing their subordinates into an unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law, the defendants have caused situations where service members will now doubt whether they must risk their lives to follow operational orders from superiors."

Regarding former Commander Yeo, the team rebuked him, saying, "From plotting the insurrection to its execution, he acted as one body with Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Yong-hyun, who are his high school seniors, and formed a single front with Lee Jin-woo and Kwak Jong-keun, who are his Korea Military Academy alumni, playing the biggest role. He served as the brain in preparing the insurrection crimes."

Regarding former Commander Lee, the team criticized him, stating, "When the blockade became difficult due to citizens gathered at the National Assembly, he actively commanded the operation by issuing arrest orders to the military police while also directing that lawmakers be dragged out of the assembly hall." Regarding former Commander Kwak, the team condemned him, saying, "He participated in overall core riot activities, such as dispatching troops to the National Assembly, the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Korea, and the Gwacheon complex of the National Election Commission."

(Photo: Yonhap News)