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Prime minister calls for judiciary to speed up martial law trials, refers to Dec. 3 as 'insurrection'

Published: 25 Nov. 2025, 14:42 Updated: 25 Nov. 2025, 15:05

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivers opening remarks during a Cabinet meeting at Government Complex Seoul in central Seoul on Nov. 25. [NEWS1]

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called Tuesday for properly judging those involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law, saying there are concerns that the judiciary process is moving too slowly.

Kim made the remark during a Cabinet meeting ahead of the one-year mark for Yoon's surprise declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.

“I hope you will once again bear heavily in mind the people's order to swiftly and surely clean up the insurrection and move forward toward growth,” he said, casting the martial law attempt as an insurrection.

“There must be no compromise or delay whatsoever in judging and cleaning up the insurrection,” he said, citing what he said are concerns among the people that the process is moving too slowly or going in the wrong direction based on the trials of those implicated.

“We must uphold the people's will. The executive branch will fulfill its responsibility in order to do its part,” he added.

Kim seemed to be referring to recent cases where courts denied arrest warrants for suspects accused of involvement in Yoon's imposition of martial law, and the refusal by some to testify before investigators or judges.

Yonhap