"Hundreds of supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gathered outside Seoul Central District Court on Friday as he appeared for his first criminal hearing in the 'Arrest Obstruction Case,' the first of eight trials awaiting a verdict. Footage shows protesters chanting slogans such as 'Yoon is the president' and 'This is a political trial' near the main court entrance. Many carried South Korean flags and signs with messages 'Protect Yoon' and 'Dismiss the charges,' among others. "He (Yoon Suk-yeol) has committed no crime, and the Corruption Investigation Office carried out an illegal investigation without proper investigative authority, which led to this situation," one of the protesters said. "The president's case should be dismissed, and I came out here to show my support." "From the beginning, this case has felt like an attempt to brand him with insurrection charges, without properly protecting him before the law and with the outcome seemingly predetermined from the start," another protester added. The court sentenced Yoon to five years in prison on arrest obstruction and martial law proclamation charges. It is the first verdict out of a series of criminal charges linked to the failed military decree and several scandals that marked his presidency. The most serious allegation is that he led a 'rebellion' under the Military Criminal Act and the Criminal Act. Prosecutors requested the death penalty for these charges on January 13. The former leader has consistently denied the charges. He argues that his actions fell within his constitutional authority as head of state, saying the declaration was a necessary step to draw attention to what he described as systematic obstruction of government business by opposition forces. The decree, which was in force for just six hours in 2024, triggered widespread upheaval across South Korea. As Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key security ally of the United States, the country has long been regarded as one of the region's most resilient democracies. A final judgment is expected next month, with the court expected to deliver its verdict on February 19."