The ruling Democratic Party(DP) has expressed regret over a Seoul court sentencing former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison for leading an insurrection tied to his declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, rather than the death penalty sought by prosecutors.

DP chair Jung Chung-rae convened a meeting of the party's Supreme Council shortly after the court issued the verdict Thursday and issued the party's stance on the outcome of Yoon's insurrection trial.

Jung said the judiciary had rattled judicial justice by sentencing Yoon to life in prison instead of handing him a death sentence for leading an insurrection that shook the very foundation of the nation. 

Jung said the court issued an extremely inadequate ruling that runs counter to the public's sense of justice.

The DP chair said he believes the court's decision marked a clear step back in the revolution ignited by citizens who dashed to the National Assembly when martial law was declared and called for Yoon's subsequent impeachment and removal.