Supreme Court confirms 2-year prison term for retired general over martial law involvement

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won attends former President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Dec. 8, in this file photo provided by the court. Yonhap

The Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed a two-year prison sentence for retired Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won for collecting the personal information of military intelligence agents ahead of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid.

The ruling is the first to come from the top court in connection with the martial law declaration in December 2024.

The 64-year-old former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command had been indicted on charges of violating the personal information protection law by retrieving data on the command's agents for use in establishing an electoral fraud investigation team under Yoon's martial law.

He was also charged with receiving 20 million won ($13,500) in cash and 6 million won worth of gift certificates from two military officers in exchange for his help in getting them promoted.

The Supreme Court convicted him of both charges and sentenced him to the prison term while ordering a forfeiture of 24.9 million won in line with the rulings of the district and appellate courts.

Later in the day, a special counsel team requested a five-year prison term for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun for allegedly handing the list of some 40 names to Noh from October to November of 2024.

The team made the request during the final hearing of Kim's first trial on charges of leaking military secrets and violating the personal information protection law.

Noh has also been standing a separate trial on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection through his involvement in the martial law bid.

In that trial, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison, and an appellate trial is under way.