Court Allows Broadcast of Former Minister Lee Sang-min's Appeal Trial on Charges of Martial Law Rebellion

The trial proceedings of former Minister of the Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, who is accused of participating in rebellion by ordering media companies to have their electricity and water cut off during the emergency martial law period, will be open to the public.

In the first trial, former Minister Lee Sang-min was found guilty of undertaking important tasks for rebellion and sentenced to seven years in prison. The first trial court ruled him guilty of participating in rebellion but acquitted him of abuse of power charges.

At 2 p.m. on March 18, 2026, the first appeal trial of former Minister of the Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, accused of participating in rebellion by relaying orders to cut off electricity and water to media companies during the 12.3 emergency martial law, was held. At this hearing, the special prosecutor's team and former Minister Lee's defense team explained their respective grounds for appeal.

The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Yoon Sung-sik), accepting the application from the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eun-seok, has permitted live video streaming of the entire appeal trial for former Minister Lee Sang-min.