Appeals court increases ex-interior minister's sentence to 9 years over martial law involvement

by Lee Hugh Posted : May 12, 2026, 16:31Updated : May 12, 2026, 16:31
Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min attends a trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Feb 12 2026 Yonhap
Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min attends a trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Feb. 12, 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min received a nine-year prison sentence on Tuesday after an appeals court increased his initial seven-year term for his involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle in 2024.

In a trial broadcast nationwide, the Seoul High Court ruled that he was guilty of aiding Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, by instructing police and fire agencies to cut off power and water to media outlets on Yoon's orders.

It also found him guilty of perjury for denying his involvement in the debacle during Yoon's impeachment trial in February last year.

The appellate court said Lee "appears to have been aware of the illegality of the martial law declaration," criticizing him for "having consistently taken a stance of ignoring and evading legal responsibility."

It said the initial sentence at the lower court was too lenient, given the severity of his offenses.

Prosecutors had earlier sought a 15-year sentence.