Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted on charges of committing perjury during the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, has been acquitted by an appellate court as well.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul High Court on Wednesday (September 16) found former President Yoon not guilty of perjury, upholding the verdict of the first-instance trial.

The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-sok, which is investigating the insurrection case, had sought a fine of 10 million won.

The court determined that statements made by Yoon—when appearing as a witness in Han's trial in November last year to the effect that he had planned to hold a Cabinet meeting even before Han suggested it on the day emergency martial law was declared—cannot be conclusively deemed false testimony contrary to his memory.

At the time, when asked by the court whether he had thought from the beginning that he needed to convene the necessary quorum for a Cabinet meeting, Yoon replied, "Yes. Because martial law was being declared while being announced to the entire world, I naturally knew that a Cabinet meeting was necessary as well."

The special counsel team contends that Yoon initially summoned only six Cabinet members without intending to hold a Cabinet meeting, and only summoned six more members, including former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, to meet the Cabinet quorum after receiving Han's recommendation.

Accordingly, prosecutors regarded Yoon's claim that he intended to summon the necessary members for a Cabinet meeting prior to Han's recommendation as perjury.

However, the appellate court on Wednesday delivered a not-guilty verdict, ruling that Yoon appears to have planned to summon additional Cabinet members regardless of Han's recommendation.

The bench pointed out that, given the defendant's position and career, it is difficult to believe he was unaware that declaring emergency martial law required Cabinet deliberation, and that he appears to have instead sought to meet the minimum requirements for declaring emergency martial law.

The court also cited as grounds for its ruling that documents to be delivered to former Deputy Prime Minister Choi had already been prepared before his arrival.

Earlier in May, the first-instance court also acquitted Yoon on the same grounds.