South Korea's former Justice Minister Park Seong-jae appeals 25‑year sentence

The special prosecutor team filed an appeal to the Seoul Central District Court against the 25‑year prison sentence handed to former Justice Minister Park Seong‑jae. He was convicted of “insurrection‑related important duties” and abuse of authority, and the appeal argues that the first‑instance court misapplied legal standards, seeks a re‑characterisation of the charges, and contests the dismissal of related bribery‑law and perjury cases.

In the same period, Seoul courts have issued three dismissals of prosecution cases, ruling that the prosecutors’ filings amounted to an abuse of prosecutorial authority. Judges described these rulings as the first instance of a court finding prosecutorial overreach, highlighting ongoing scrutiny of the special prosecutor’s investigations and fueling calls for reforms to curb such practices.