S. Korea's ex-president Yoon acquitted of harboring suspect

SEOUL - South Korea's former president Yoon Suk-yeol was acquitted of abusing his presidential power to harbor a criminal suspect, according to Yonhap news agency on Friday.

The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict, ruling that it cannot be definitively concluded that there was an intent to obstruct the investigations into a marine's death.

The team of independent counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon, who led investigations into the marine's death, sought a five-year prison term on charges of aiding the criminal suspect's flight and abusing presidential power.

Yoon was accused of ordering the appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia to help him flee the country in November 2023, about four months after the marine's death.

The special counsel team alleged that Yoon helped Lee, a primary suspect at the time, flee the country through the appointment to cover up the marine's death.

The court handed down blanket acquittals for several former top-ranking officials involved in lifting Lee's travel ban and fast-tracking his appointment.

Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February for the insurrection stemming from his martial law declaration and 30 years in prison in June for the general treason relevant to the infiltration of drones into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The emergency martial law was declared by Yoon on the night of Dec 3, 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.

He was indicted under detention in January 2025 as a suspected ringleader of the insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted.