Ruling party moves to bar pardons in insurrection cases

Feb 20, 2026, 03:59 pm

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Rep. Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 20. / Asia Today

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Thursday it will push forward legislation to prohibit presidential pardons for those convicted of insurrection, in a move widely seen as targeting former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his alleged collaborators.

At a Supreme Council meeting, floor leader Han Byung-do said, “The Democratic Party will thoroughly overhaul the system to ensure that the tragedy of insurrection never recurs in the Republic of Korea.”

“We will swiftly pass a revision to the pardon law so that insurrection ringleader Yoon Suk Yeol can never walk out of prison,” he added.

Han noted that the party had already introduced a bill earlier last year to restrict pardons, sentence reductions and reinstatements of rights for those convicted of insurrection, treason or rebellion. “If the People Power Party is not a party complicit in insurrection, we hope it will join us in revising the pardon law,” he said.

The DPK also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the court’s reasoning in sentencing Yoon to life imprisonment on insurrection charges.

Party leader Jung Cheong-rae said, “It is utterly absurd. The court cited the lack of prior criminal record, his long public service career and his relatively advanced age of 65 as mitigating factors.”

“Why were the facts that he directly planned the insurrection, inflicted damage on democracy and the constitutional order, plunged citizens into suffering and caused enormous social costs not considered in sentencing?” Jung asked.

Supreme Council member Lee Eon-ju added that sentencing was “extremely important,” arguing that a life sentence for violating the constitutional order did not align with public sentiment. “There was clearly extensive prior conspiracy, yet this was not acknowledged. It must be proven in the appellate trial,” she said.

The party signaled that the ruling would further strengthen its resolve to pursue judicial reform. It pledged to pass key reform bills in the February session of the National Assembly, including the introduction of a constitutional complaint system for court rulings, an increase in the number of Supreme Court justices and the establishment of a new offense of judicial distortion.

Calls also grew within the party for the impeachment of Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.

Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon said, “Cho Hee-dae, appointed by Yoon Suk Yeol, should step down. Since last week, civic groups have been pushing for his impeachment, and many Democratic Party lawmakers have already joined.”

“The public is beginning to suspect whether a series of acquittals in cases involving Kim Keon-hee and Myung Tae-kyun amount to a planned exoneration by the Cho Hee-dae court,” he added.

#Democratic Party of Korea #Jung Cheong-rae #Han Byung-do #insurrection #pardon ban bill