Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae Sentenced Over 2024 Martial Law Decree
前法務部長朴聖宰因 2024 年戒嚴令被判刑
Introduction
The Seoul Central District Court has sentenced former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae to 25 years in prison. This sentence follows his involvement in the failed attempt to impose martial law by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024.
首爾中央地方法院判處前法務部長朴聖宰 25 年監禁。此判決是因為他參與了前總統尹錫悅於 2024 年 12 月嘗試實施戒嚴但失敗的行動。
Main Body
The court's decision was based on the fact that Park helped the president try to seize total power. Evidence showed that Park ordered ministry staff to check if prisons had enough space to hold political opponents. Furthermore, the judge emphasized that Park sent state prosecutors to the martial law command and worked with immigration officials to stop people from traveling. The judge stated that these actions were a failure of Park's constitutional duties because he supported an authoritarian goal.
法院的決定是基於朴聖宰協助總統嘗試奪取絕對權力。證據顯示，朴聖宰命令部門員工檢查監獄是否有足夠空間關押政治對手。此外，法官強調朴聖宰派遣國家檢察官前往戒嚴司令部，並與移民官員合作阻止民眾出入境。法官表示，這些行為是朴聖宰對憲法職責的失職，因為他支持一個獨裁目標。
This sentencing is part of a larger effort to hold the government accountable after the decree of December 3, 2024. That decree was cancelled after only six hours following a vote by the legislature. Consequently, President Yoon was impeached and removed from office in April 2025. Yoon has been sentenced to life in prison for rebellion and another 30 years for sending drones over Pyongyang to create a fake national crisis.
此次判刑是 2024 年 12 月 3 日發布戒嚴令後，要求政府承擔責任之更大行動的一部分。該戒嚴令在立法機關投票後僅維持六小時便被取消。因此，尹總統於 2025 年 4 月被彈劾並撤職。尹錫悅因叛國罪被判終身監禁，另因派遣無人機飛越平壤製造假國家危機而被判處 30 年。
Other members of the former cabinet are also facing trial. For example, former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun received 30 years for mobilizing the military. Additionally, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 15 years, and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min received nine years. Meanwhile, the former president's wife, Kim Keon Hee, is serving four years for financial crimes unrelated to the martial law crisis.
前內閣的其他成員也面臨審判。例如，前國防部長金龍顯因動員軍隊被判 30 年。此外，前總理韓德洙被判 15 年，而前內政部長李相民被判 9 年。與此同時，前總統之妻金建希因與戒嚴危機無關的金融犯罪被判處 4 年監禁。
Conclusion
Park Sung-jae remains in prison after being convicted of insurrection, as South Korean courts continue to handle the legal consequences of the 2024 political crisis.
朴聖宰在被判定叛亂罪後繼續在監獄服刑，而韓國法院持續處理 2024 年政治危機的法律後果。
Vocabulary Learning
The "Connecting Logic" Jump
To move from A2 (basic sentences) to B2 (fluent flow), you must stop using simple dots (.) and start using Logical Bridges.
Look at how this text connects ideas. Instead of saying "The decree was cancelled. President Yoon was impeached," the author uses a Transition Word:
"Consequently, President Yoon was impeached..."
🚀 The Power-Up: Logical Connectors
B2 speakers don't just give information; they show how information relates. Here are the three 'bridges' found in the text that you should steal for your own speaking:
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Adding Weight (The "Plus" Bridge):
- Text use: "Furthermore, the judge emphasized..."
- A2 version: "And the judge said..."
- B2 use: Use Furthermore or Additionally when you want to sound professional and add a second, important point.
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Showing Result (The "Effect" Bridge):
- Text use: "Consequently, President Yoon was impeached..."
- A2 version: "So, he was impeached."
- B2 use: Use Consequently when one event causes another in a formal setting.
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Comparing Situations (The "Meanwhile" Bridge):
- Text use: "Meanwhile, the former president's wife..."
- A2 version: "Also, the wife..."
- B2 use: Use Meanwhile to jump to a different person or a different event happening at the same time.
💡 Pro-Tip for Fluency
Stop using "And", "But", and "So" at the start of every sentence. If you replace "So" with "Consequently" and "And" with "Additionally", your English immediately sounds more academic and confident.