In the afternoon on the 16th, as a transport van carrying former President Yoon Suk-yeol passes the east gate of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, supporters chant "President Yoon Suk-yeol." /Courtesy of Lee Ho-jun

On the 16th in front of the Seoul Court Complex in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Those supporting former President Yoon Suk-yeol watched the live broadcast. Each time Presiding Judge Baek Dae-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 35 recognized former President Yoon's charges as guilty, curses broke out. Shouts of "It's all a rigged game of go-stop" were also heard.

About 30 seconds of silence followed. It was the moment the bench sentenced former President Yoon to five years in prison. Some supporters shed tears.

In Jan. last year, former President Yoon was sentenced to prison at the first trial on charges including obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). It is the first court ruling among seven cases indicted in connection with the Dec. 3 martial law crisis.

In the afternoon on the 16th, in front of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, supporters of former President Yoon Suk-yeol hold a rally as the first-trial sentencing hearing opens on charges of obstructing the execution of a Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) arrest warrant and infringing on the deliberation authority of Cabinet members. /Courtesy of Kim Gwan-rae

Ahead of the first court ruling on former President Yoon, Shin Jayu Yeondae and the Liberty Korea National Coalition held rallies in front of the court complex that day. About 300 supporters gathered. They waved placards reading "Arrest Lee Jae-myung," "CCP (Chinese Communist Party) OUT," and "There was no insurrection," along with U.S. flags and Taegeukgi.

Even after around 3 p.m., when former President Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison, supporters repeatedly shouted "President Yoon Suk-yeol" and "Yoon again." One participant shouted, "Martial law was justified."

Another participant, saying the judiciary treats former President Yoon and President Lee Jae-myung differently, pressed, "Is Lee Jae-myung under extraterritoriality?"

At about 3:14 p.m., when a Ministry of Justice transport vehicle carrying former President Yoon exited the east gate of the court complex, supporters chanted "President Yoon Suk-yeol." Another rally participant consoled someone who was in tears.

In the afternoon on the 16th, near the east gate of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, a supporter of former President Yoon Suk-yeol sheds tears as the first-trial sentencing hearing opens on charges of obstructing the execution of a Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) arrest warrant and infringing on the deliberation authority of Cabinet members. /Courtesy of Lee Ho-jun

Near the court, about 20 people gathered to demand the punishment of former President Yoon. When the sentencing result came out, they rejoiced and clapped. One participant said, "(Former President Yoon) won't be able to get out of prison for the rest of his life anyway."

Including this case, former President Yoon has been indicted seven times in total—by the prosecution and through three special counsel probes into insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the death of a Marine in the line of duty—and is standing trial in each. The first-trial sentencing in the case considered central among the Dec. 3 martial law trials, the charge of being the ringleader of insurrection, is set for Feb. 19. Earlier at the final hearing, the special counsel team sought the death penalty for former President Yoon.

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