SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s legislature on Tuesday passed a bill that would set up specialized boards in Seoul’s district and high courts for cases involving rebellion, treason and foreign subversion after complaints about the pace of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s rebellion trial.
But the bill, which is likely to be signed into law by President Lee Jae Myung, falls short of the effect the Democratic Party initially sought from the liberal-led legislature. Lawmakers changed the wording to ensure that the measure did not apply to ongoing trials. Critics said the original bill risked violating judicial independence.
The law would require the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court to establish at least two specialized boards for cases involving rebellion, treason and foreign subversion. Each panel shall consist of a bench of three judges chosen by the council of judges in each court.
The bill passed the legislature 175–2 with two abstentions after many conservatives boycotted the vote.
The vote was delayed after Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the conservative People’s Power Party, staged a 24-hour filibuster, arguing that the bill remained unconstitutional even after repeated revisions and accusing Democrats of pressuring the courts to create benches they favor. After Tuesday’s vote, PPP leaders asked Lee to veto the bill.
The law will take effect immediately after Lee signs the bill, but will not apply to Yoon’s ongoing rebellion trial, which is expected to reach a verdict in early 2026. If Yoon’s case reaches the high court, it will be handled by the specialized panels.
Yoon was a staunch conservative who declared martial law in December 2024 to crack down on what he called “anti-state” liberals who obstructed his agenda. He was removed from office in April and arrested again in July due to his power grab which lasted only hours. He faces a number of serious charges including rebellion, which is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.
The Democratic Party has repeatedly criticized a judge at the Seoul Central District Court handling Yoon’s rebellion case, claiming he delayed proceedings by staggered hearings and argued that courts should reconsider the long-standing practice of randomly assigning judges to cases of exceptional importance such as rebellion.
The judge, Jee Kui-youn, initially drew the ire of liberals in March by approving Yoon’s release from prison after his first arrest, allowing him to stand trial without detention pending his re-arrest in July.
Liberal complaints grew after other judges rejected investigators’ requests for arrest warrants for some key figures close to Yoon including former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and senior conservative lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho. Han and Choo were accused, respectively, of aiding Yoon’s declaration of martial law and obstructing lawmakers from participating in a vote to lift the measure.