Former South Korea minister gets 7 yr sentence for aiding martial law
South Korea's former interior minister was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for abetting then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law in 2024.
The verdict for Lee Sang-min came a week before a different judge at the same Seoul court rules on whether Yoon's actions amounted to rebellion, a crime for which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Lee, who led the ministry of interior and safety, was convicted for helping carry out the declaration and passing along Yoon's orders to the country's police and fire chiefs to cut water and electricity to news organisations that were critical of his policies.
The instructions weren't carried out since martial law was lifted quickly after lawmakers broke through a military and police blockade at the National Assembly and unanimously voted to lift it.
Lee denied receiving or issuing instructions to cut off utilities to the news organisations, disputing testimony from other officials, including former National F