Two people in their 50s, a man and a woman who were sent to trial on charges of trespassing into the Seoul Western District Court compound without permission immediately after a detention warrant was issued for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, received suspended prison sentences in the first trial.
On the 20th, Presiding Judge Park Gee-won of the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 1 sentenced a person surnamed Chae, 54, indicted on charges of trespassing into a specially protected structure, to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered 160 hours of community service.
A person surnamed Kim, 53, who was indicted on charges including obstructing general traffic, was sentenced to one year and two months in prison, suspended for three years, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
Chae was sent to trial on charges of entering as far as the inner passage of the rear gate of the Seoul Western District Court along with many protesters immediately after the detention warrant for the former president Yoon was issued in January last year.
The court said, "It is recognized that the defendant entered the inner passage of the court's rear gate together with many others," and noted, "The defendant trespassed into the court compound with the purpose of influencing the trial, making the motive and method of the crime highly egregious, and is not engaging in sincere self-reflection."
However, the court explained the reason for the suspended sentence, saying, "It is the first offense, and the defendant did not enter the interior of the court building."
Regarding Kim as well, the court pointed out, "In the middle of the night, showing the force of a crowd, the defendant trespassed into the court compound with the purpose of retaliating against the court's trial and generating YouTube broadcast revenue, making the motive and method of the crime highly egregious."
However, it ruled, "There is no prior record of similar offenses or convictions exceeding a fine, and the defendant did not enter the interior of the court building."