The special prosecutor's team, led by Cho Eun-seok, has requested a seven-year prison sentence for Park Jong-jun, the former head of the Presidential Security Service, who was convicted in the first trial of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant against former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Park acknowledged the charges and pleaded for leniency, but the special prosecutor emphasized the need for a punishment commensurate with the responsibility of using the Security Office to obstruct judicial processes.
On September 30, during the appellate hearing at the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 1, presided over by Judge Yoon Seong-sik, the special prosecutor made this request regarding the charges of obstructing special official duties against Park and others.
The special prosecutor also sought a seven-year sentence for Kim Sung-hoon, the former deputy chief, and five years and three years for Lee Kwang-woo, the former head of the Security Headquarters, and Kim Shin, the former head of the Family Security Division, respectively. These sentences are the same as those requested in the first trial.
The special prosecutor pointed out that the Security Office systematically obstructed the lawful execution of the arrest warrant for the president. They stated, "While the Security Office is directly under the president, it is not a privately hired bodyguard group. Security personnel, as public officials, have an obligation to comply with constitutional laws in all circumstances."
They further claimed, "The Security Office misused state power and resources to facilitate Yoon's evasion and undermine the national criminal justice system," asserting that the defendants planned their actions while monitoring the progress of the investigation. They emphasized that if there were doubts about the validity or legality of the arrest warrant, they should have contested it through legal procedures.
The special prosecutor noted that both Park and Lee acknowledged their charges during the appeal, but stressed the need for severe punishment based on their roles, involvement, and the seriousness of the offenses.
In his final statement, Park expressed regret, saying, "There were many foolish and shameful aspects to my judgment and conduct at the time of this incident." He acknowledged all charges during the first appellate hearing and retracted his previous claims of innocence, stating that he believed the sentence was too harsh.
Park added, "I only tried to uphold the president's intent, but I failed to consider the public's desire for the restoration of democratic order. I will not shy away from any responsibility for my mistakes," while also appealing for understanding, saying, "Although I could not persuade the president until the end, I was concerned about resolving conflicts between state agencies."
Kim, the former deputy chief, explained that he initially acknowledged the charges but later retracted his statement, saying, "I thought I should take responsibility as the on-site leader, but there were discrepancies with the facts during the trial that I needed to contest." He added, tearfully, "I could not leave my juniors behind for my own safety; I only thought about fulfilling my duties and responsibilities." Lee and Kim also expressed their acknowledgment of wrongdoing and remorse.
They were indicted for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant when the Corruption Investigation Office attempted to enter the presidential residence to arrest Yoon in January of last year. Kim is also accused of ordering the deletion of sensitive information related to three military commanders at Yoon's direction.
The first trial deemed the act of using the Security Office's organization and command structure to obstruct the lawful execution of an arrest warrant as a serious crime, sentencing Park to four years in prison and Kim to five years, both of whom were taken into custody. Kim received a one-year sentence with a two-year suspended sentence.
The appellate ruling is scheduled for October 28 at 3 p.m.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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