The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok has filed an appeal against the first-instance ruling that sentenced former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae to 25 years in prison for his involvement in the December 3 insurrection.

The special counsel team submitted the appeal to the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 33 (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-kwan), which presided over the case, on June 28.

The special counsel team stated that it filed the appeal on the grounds that the first trial court made a legal error in judging Park's charges of performing important duties in an insurrection and abuse of power as imaginary concurrence, arguing that they should be viewed as substantive concurrence.

However, the team did not cite unfair sentencing as a reason for the appeal, as the first trial court handed down a 25-year prison sentence, which exceeded the prosecution's initial demand.

The team also announced that it would challenge the first trial's decision to dismiss the charges regarding Park's violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and perjury charges against former Minister of Government Legislation Lee Wan-kyu in the appellate court.

Previously, Park's side filed an appeal on June 26, and Lee's side filed an appeal on June 23, both challenging the first-instance verdict.

Park is accused of sequentially participating in the insurrection crimes of former President Yoon Suk Yeol by convening a meeting of senior Justice Ministry officials immediately after the declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024. He allegedly ordered the review of dispatching prosecutors to the Martial Law Command's joint investigation headquarters, checked the capacity of correctional facilities, and instructed staff in charge of exit bans to report to work.

He is also accused of having the Justice Ministry's prosecution division draft a document justifying martial law, which contained content regarding abuse of power, immediately after martial law was lifted.

Furthermore, he faces charges of giving inappropriate instructions to subordinates after receiving a request from First Lady Kim in May last year to determine how a dedicated investigation team for the luxury bag scandal was formed at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

On June 22, the first trial court found Park guilty of the main charge of performing important duties in an insurrection, sentencing him to 25 years in prison and ordering his immediate detention.

However, the court dismissed the charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, stating that it was difficult to view them as falling under the scope of the special counsel's investigation.

The court also dismissed the charges against former Minister of Government Legislation Lee, who was indicted for perjury before the National Assembly by claiming that there was no discussion regarding martial law during a meeting at a safe house immediately after martial law was lifted.

(Photo: Yonhap News)