Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min has been sentenced to serve seven years in prison for ordering authorities to cut off electricity and water supplies to media outlets on the night former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in 2024.

The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found Lee guilty of playing a key role in an insurrection and delivering Yoon's orders to cut off electricity and water to media outlets that were critical of his administration to the then-head of the National Fire Agency.

The court, however, acquitted Lee of power abuse charges in connection to the instruction.

This is the second time the court recognized Yoon's martial law as an act of insurrection, after it convicted and sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years for his  involvement in the incident.

Lee was indicted in August on charges of abetting Yoon's illegal martial law declaration as the head of a ministry in charge of martial law in peacetime.

He was also accused of perjury after he denied receiving or giving such orders during Yoon's impeachment trial.

The special counsel team that probed Yoon's martial law bid had requested a 15-year sentence for Lee.