South Korea: Jail Terms Handed Down in Courthouse Riot Linked to Ex-President

Two men sentenced for involvement in a January riot targeting a court building following the detention extension of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol.

SEOUL: A South Korean court has sentenced two men to jail terms for their involvement in a January riot where supporters of impeached ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol attacked a court building.

Protesters stormed the Seoul Western District Court earlier this year after a judge extended the detention of Yoon, South Korea's first sitting head of state to be arrested, due to his short imposition of martial law.

The protesters employed fire extinguishers to break doors and smash windows, gaining entry into the court building and causing damage. They also attacked police officers at the scene.

The Seoul Western District Court sentenced two men - identified only by their surnames Kim, 35, and So, 28 - to one year and six months, and one year in prison, respectively, according to a court spokesperson.

This case represents a rare act of political violence directed at the country's judiciary, which experts suggest highlights rising polarization following Yoon's attempt to undermine civilian rule in December.

"The overall outcome of the crime was devastating," the court stated after the ruling.

The men viewed the South Korean judiciary's decision as a "political conspiracy" and were driven by an "obsession" to carry out "immediate retaliation."

Yoon had been a lame duck president since the opposition Democratic Party won a majority in parliamentary elections in April last year.

In a televised address, Yoon criticized "anti-state elements plundering people's freedom and happiness," and his office subsequently framed the action as an effort to break legislative deadlock.

Following his move, he gained support from extreme religious figures and right-wing YouTubers, many of whom have been linked to the January courthouse riot.

Yoon, currently on trial for insurrection, has been accused of implicitly encouraging the violence.

Weeks before the riot, in early January, he sent a message to his hardline supporters warning that the country was "in danger" and pledging to stand with them "to the very end."