Court acquits ex-President Yoon in power abuse case over envoy appointment法院宣判前总统尹锡悦在特使任命滥用职权案中无罪。
A Seoul court on Friday acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of charges of helping a former defense minister evade a criminal investigation by...
A Seoul court was set to rule Friday on former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s trial over charges that he helped former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup evade a criminal investigation by appointing him ambassador to Australia in 2023. The Seoul Central District Court was scheduled to announce the ruling at 2 p.m. Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon sought a five-year prison sentence for Yoon. Prosecutors also recommended prison terms for former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae in the same case.
Yoon is accused of ordering Lee Jong-sup’s appointment as ambassador to Australia in November 2023.
The alleged goal was to help Lee evade an investigation into the cover-up of a Marine’s death earlier that year.
Lee Jong-sup left for Australia in March 2024 but returned only days later after the controversy.
Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon’s team sought a five-year prison sentence for Yoon.
The team also recommended three-year prison terms for former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae.
Published Sep 11, 2026 9:29 am KST
Updated Sep 11, 2026 3:23 pm KST
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup are seen at the presidential office in central Seoul, Sept. 12, 2023. Yonhap
A Seoul court on Friday acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of charges of helping a former defense minister evade a criminal investigation by naming him ambassador to Australia in 2023.
The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict after special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon indicted Yoon on charges of aiding a criminal's flight and abuse of power. Lee's team had sought a five-year prison sentence for Yoon.
首尔一家法院原定于周五对前总统尹锡烈一案作出判决。尹锡烈被控于2023年任命前国防部长李钟燮为驻澳大利亚大使，以帮助其逃避刑事调查。首尔中央地方法院定于下午2点宣布判决结果。特别检察官李明铉要求判处尹锡烈五年监禁。检方还建议对同一案件中的前国家安全顾问赵泰镛和前法务部长官朴成宰判处监禁。
尹锡悦被指控下令任命李钟燮为2023年11月的驻澳大利亚大使。
据称，此举是为了帮助李逃避对当年早些时候一名海军陆战队员死亡事件的掩盖调查。
李钟燮于2024年3月前往澳大利亚，但几天后因争议事件返回。
特别检察官李明铉的团队寻求判处尹某五年有期徒刑。
该小组还建议判处前国家安全顾问赵泰镛和前法务部长朴成宰三年有期徒刑。
发布于2026年9月11日上午9:29（韩国标准时间）
更新于2026年9月11日下午3:23（韩国标准时间）
2023年9月12日，前总统尹锡烈（左）和前国防部长李钟燮在首尔市中心的总统府。韩联社
首尔一家法院周五宣判前总统尹锡烈无罪，此前他被指控帮助一名前国防部长逃避刑事调查，并任命其为2023年驻澳大利亚大使。
首尔中央地方法院在特别检察官李明铉以协助罪犯潜逃和滥用职权罪名起诉尹某后作出判决。李明铉的团队此前寻求判处尹某五年有期徒刑。