Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison at the first trial on charges of involvement in preparing and executing the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, appealed on the 19th, the day of sentencing.
According to legal sources, Kim's side filed a notice of appeal with the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jee Kui-youn) on the day. Kim, who was brought to trial on charges of engaging in important duties of insurrection and abuse of power to obstruct the exercise of rights, was sentenced to 30 years in prison that day.
The court characterized Kim's role in the Dec. 3 martial law situation as "leading preparation." The court said, "Kim led the preparation of this martial law, planned in advance to deploy the military to the National Assembly, the National Election Commission, and the Democratic Party of Korea headquarters, and appears to have independently drawn up a separate plan to push ahead with an investigation into alleged election fraud," adding, "It also appears there was an aspect of abetting Yoon Suk-yeol's irrational determination from the side."
Kim is accused of attempting to blockade and seize the National Assembly and the National Election Commission—constitutional institutions—during martial law (engaging in important duties of insurrection). He is also accused of dictating to former Defense Counterintelligence Command chief Yeo In-hyung a list that included President Lee Jae-myung (then Democratic Party leader), National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, and former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, and of organizing and operating arrest teams for key figures, instructing them to arrest and detain these individuals.