Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has filed for a stay of execution against a court order to compensate a group of citizens for the psychological distress they suffered when he declared martial law on December 3.

According to the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday, Yoon sought the stay of execution the previous day to avoid paying 100-thousand won, or around 72 U.S. dollars, to each of the 104 plaintiffs.

The court said provisional execution of the judgment is possible, meaning it can be enforced even before the ruling goes through the appeal process.

Yoon, who has appealed the court ruling, is believed to have sought the stay of execution to avoid its provisional execution.