Prosecutors seek 20-year prison term for Daegu Mayor Choo in martial law vote-blocking case

Prosecutors have sought a 20-year prison sentence for Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho, who is on trial on charges of obstructing People Power Party lawmakers from voting to lift emergency martial law during the Dec. 3 crisis. The Democratic Party of Korea called for a stern ruling, while the People Power Party dismissed the prosecution as politically motivated.

The special prosecutor's team handling insurrection cases asked Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday to sentence Choo to 20 years in prison at the closing arguments hearing before Presiding Judge Han Seong-jin of Criminal Division 34. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. If Choo receives a confirmed sentence of imprisonment or heavier, he will lose his mayoral post under the Local Autonomy Act and other relevant laws.

Choo served as floor leader of the People Power Party — then the ruling party — when former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. Prosecutors allege that Choo received a request from Yoon's side to cooperate with the martial law declaration and repeatedly changed the venue of a party caucus meeting, preventing fellow party lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift it.

The emergency caucus venue changed three times — from the National Assembly to party headquarters, back to the Assembly, and then to party headquarters again. Only 18 of the party's 108 lawmakers took part in the vote to lift martial law.

In his final statement, Choo maintained his innocence, calling the charges "a complete distortion of the facts." He said he had no prior knowledge of the martial law declaration, was not involved in any planning, and never received a request from the president to block the Assembly's vote to lift it or to prevent lawmakers from participating.

"From the outset, I thought it was my duty as floor leader to gather the lawmakers, accurately assess the situation and reach a consensus," he said. "Looking back, I regret that I may not have communicated carefully enough in such a sudden and chaotic situation — but I absolutely did not intend to obstruct the vote."

Democratic Party of Korea Chief Spokesperson Park Seong-jun said in a written briefing that the 20-year sentencing demand was "a natural outcome" and urged the court to impose a heavy punishment. "It was clear that Choo was an accomplice in the insurrection, which is why the special prosecutor sought such a severe sentence," Park said. "Choo, who backed Yoon Suk Yeol's illegal martial law from within the party, must face punishment commensurate with that."

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok pushed back on Facebook, calling the prosecution "blatant political retaliation and a baseless insurrection witch hunt" and saying the special prosecutor had "admitted to being a political tool of the administration." He said Choo was "100 percent innocent" and that the courts would reach the right decision, adding that "the one who should be on trial is not Mayor Choo but President Lee Jae Myung."