Presiding Judge Lee Jin-kwan draws attention with a heavy sentence in the insurrection case

Chief Judge Lee Jinkwan of Criminal Division 33 at the Seoul Central District Court, who sentenced former Justice Minister Park Sungjae to 25 years in prison, is drawing attention. The sentence was controversial because it was 5 years longer than the prosecution’s requested 20 years. Judge Lee is a 32nd class graduate of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and has been serving at the Seoul Central District Court since February 2025. He previously also sentenced former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo to 23 years in prison, which was higher than the prosecution’s request, and has continued to make strong sentencing judgments in cases related to insurrection. The court reportedly viewed the December 3 martial law as a grave matter that shook democracy and the rule of law, and took a strict view of the evidence indicating prior preparation and execution. However, some in the legal community are questioning whether the sentence is excessive, and opinions are also divided over whether the trial was handled appropriately.