▲ Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) special counsel-ex-interior minister

(LEAD) Special counsel seeks 15-year prison term for ex-interior minister over martial law involvement

(ATTN: UPDATES with details)

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team on Monday sought a 15-year prison term for former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team demanded the sentence during the final hearing of Lee's trial at the Seoul Central District Court, saying the former minister "took part in the crime of destroying the Constitution" though he was aware of the illegality of Yoon's martial law declaration as a former judge of 14 years.

Lee was indicted under arrest in August on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection by not actively stopping Yoon from declaring the decree in December 2024, and instructing the police and fire agencies to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of the then administration.

He was also charged with perjury for denying during Yoon's impeachment trial last year that he received such instructions from the then president or conveyed them to the agencies.

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