Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday sought a 15-year prison term for former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min in an appellate trial over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. Lee is charged with playing a key role in an insurrection by giving orders to cut off water and power to media outlets critical of the Yoon administration after the then-president declared martial law on December 3, 2024. He has also been indicted on charges of giving false testimony during Yoon's impeachment trial last year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in February, a lower court found Lee guilty of both charges and sentenced him to seven years in prison. During the final trial hearing at the Seoul High Court, a member of special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team stated, "He took part in a crime that destroyed the constitutional order." The special counsel emphasized that the only reason the power and water were not cut off was due to the swift lifting of the emergency martial law order, which resulted from citizens' resistance and the military and police's incomplete execution of duties.

Cho's team had initially requested a 15-year prison term during the first trial, maintaining that such a sentence was appropriate given the severity of Lee's actions. The appellate trial continues to draw public attention as it addresses significant concerns regarding constitutional integrity and governmental accountability.