South Korean prosecutors are to seek a sentence of 20 years
imprisonment and 10 years withdrawal of civic rights for Unified Progressive
Party lawmaker Lee Seok Ki.
Speaking at Lee’s appeal hearing held at Seoul High Court earlier
today, prosecutors asserted, “Given that the defendant made concrete
preparations to foment a rebellion through an RO (Revolutionary Organization)
that held the Republic
of Korea to be its enemy, the sentence of 12 years handed down at the original
trial is much too light.”
A sentence of 20 years was also requested by prosecutors at Lee’s original trial at Suwon District Court in February. A sentence of 12 years was eventually handed down .
Prosecutors are also to seek stricter
sentences for fellow defendants Lee Sang Ho, Hong Sun Seok, Jo Yang Won, Kim
Hong Yeol, Kim Keun Rae (15 years), and Han Dong Keun (10 years). All were
handed sentences of between four and seven years at the original trial.
Prosecutors spent 150 mins today describing the structure and activities of the RO, as
well as the dangerous nature of its planned activities.
“At a meeting last May, the RO plotted specifically to obtain firearms
and explosives, and to attack railways, communication lines, gas lines and
roads,” they noted. “They must be actively punished, as they could have
brought about enormous loss of human life and created social chaos.”
“The defendants had studied the Juche idea, and aimed to
overthrow the government of the Republic of Korea and establish a socialist
regime [in its place],” they went on. “They must be isolated from society for
an extended period of time.”
