Seoul: An appeals court on Wednesday increased former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong's sentence to 2 1/2 years in prison on charges linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial law bid. The decision marks a significant development in a high-profile case that has drawn considerable public attention.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul High Court's ruling fell short of special counsel Cho Eun-suk's request for a seven-year prison term. The charges against Cho included perjury, dereliction of duty, drafting and using false public documents, and destruction of evidence. However, the court decided on a moderate increase in the sentence from the earlier verdict.

A lower court had previously sentenced Cho to 18 months in prison after convicting him of perjury, while clearing him of all other charges, including dereliction of duty and destruction of evidence. The appeals court's decision to extend the sentence reflects the complexity and seriousness of the allegations tied to the martial law bid incident.