SEOUL, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee have both filed appeals with the Supreme Court on Thursday, challenging recent appellate court rulings in their respective criminal cases, local media reported.
Yoon was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday in the appellate trial for charges including "obstruction of arrest." Kim, indicted for charges of bribery, was sentenced to four years in prison in the appellate trial on Tuesday. Both sentences were harsher than the first trial.
Yoon's legal team submitted an appeal on Thursday, disputing the appellate court's ruling on legal grounds. The special counsel also appealed parts of Yoon's appellate verdict on the same day, contesting the acquittal on certain charges, including the alleged use of a falsified official document related to a post facto martial law declaration.
Prosecutors argue that the document itself constitutes a historically significant presidential record and that its retention in the presidential office should qualify as its use.
Separately, former first lady Kim appealed in her case for violations of the capital markets law, political funds law, and bribery-related charges under the Aggravated Punishment Act. The appellate court on Tuesday overturned part of the lower court's ruling, finding her guilty of receiving illicit favors, including a luxury Chanel bag worth about 8.02 million won allegedly given by a Unification Church affiliate in April 2022.
Meanwhile, related cases involving former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo are ongoing, with his ruling expected in the coming weeks. ■
