Particle.news
Download on the App Store
16 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

South Korean Lawmakers Approve Special Rebellion Tribunals After 24-Hour Filibuster

Judges for the new panels will be chosen by Seoul courts’ councils.

The National Assembly in Seoul passes a bill designed to establish a special tribunal for insurrection cases linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid on Dec. 23, 2025. (Yonhap)
FILE - South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, Pool, File)
Image
FILE - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a news conference to mark the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

Overview

  • Lawmakers passed the bill 175–2 with two abstentions after cutting off the opposition’s filibuster, as People Power Party members largely boycotted the vote.
  • The measure requires at least two dedicated three-judge panels each at the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court to handle rebellion, treason and foreign subversion cases.
  • The law does not shift ongoing first-instance trials, including Yoon Suk Yeol’s case, though appeals could be heard by the specialized panels.
  • The Supreme Court has outlined plans for its own internal panels to handle similar charges, reflecting the judiciary’s parallel response.
  • Opposition leader Jang Dong-hyeok set a 24-hour filibuster record and his party urged a presidential veto, while reporting indicates President Lee Jae Myung is expected to sign the bill.