'Climbing Over US Ambassador's Residence Wall Protest'... Daejinyeon Members' Suspended Sentences Confirmed

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Members of the Korean University Students Progressive Union (Daejinyeon), who were prosecuted for storming into the U.S. Ambassador's residence in South Korea in 2019 to protest the increase in defense cost-sharing, have had their suspended prison sentences finalized.

On the 13th, the Supreme Court's First Division (Presiding Justice Kim Seonsu) announced that it dismissed the appeals of Daejinyeon members charged with obstruction of business and violations of laws related to violent acts (including unlawful entry into shared residences) and assembly and demonstration, thereby upholding the lower court's ruling.

They were charged with staging a surprise protest in October 2019 by climbing over the wall of the U.S. Ambassador's residence located in Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, using a ladder. At the time, they held a placard that read, "Harris (former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris), who demanded a fivefold increase in U.S. military support funds, leave this land," protesting the increase in defense cost-sharing.

Earlier in February, they protested at the Liberty Korea Party (now People Power Party) convention condemning lawmakers who made "5.18 distortion" remarks, and in July, they staged a surprise protest at the Seoul office of a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries affiliate in Japan, demanding an apology for forced labor and the cessation of economic retaliation, among other charges.

The first and second trials sentenced all defendants to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. The court noted, "There are some mitigating circumstances regarding the defendants' actions protesting the U.S. demand for increased defense cost-sharing," but also pointed out, "They prepared ladders in advance to climb over the U.S. Ambassador's residence wall and trespassed inside the residence, which infringed upon the functions and peace of the U.S. Ambassador." Some of the charged members claimed innocence on the grounds that they exercised their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly, but the court did not accept this, and the Supreme Court also ruled that the lower court's decision was correct, thereby confirming the sentence as is.

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