Seoul: A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection linked to his attempt to declare martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty as an ‘insurrection ringleader’, marking a significant verdict in the first trial, as reported by Yonhap News.
According to Anadolu Agency, prosecutors sought the death penalty for Yoon’s failed effort to enforce martial law on December 3, 2024. The hearing was broadcast live, underscoring its national significance. The court determined that Yoon’s martial law order was an insurrection attempt, as he tried to incapacitate the National Assembly by deploying troops to its compound.
The court also sentenced former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to 30 years in prison and former Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won to 18 years for their involvement in the martial law attempt. Outside the court, around 1,000 of Yoon’s supporters protested the sentencing decision.
While Yoon’s opponents welcomed the court’s ruling, some expressed disappointment that the death penalty was not imposed. Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the ruling Democratic Party criticized the court, highlighting the danger posed to citizens and lawmakers during the martial law attempt. Before the court ruling, several Democratic Party lawmakers advocated for the death penalty to prevent future attempts at martial law, as reported by the Chosun Daily.
Yoon was indicted in January 2025 for insurrection charges following the martial law declaration, which lasted roughly six hours before being overturned. Prosecutors accused him of ordering military and police forces to surround the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from nullifying his decree.
Yoon defended his martial law declaration as a governance measure to “protect” the state, aiming to “root out anti-state forces” and alleging election commission interference without evidence. Last month, Yoon received an additional five-year sentence for obstructing investigators’ efforts to detain him during the previous year. The ousted president is currently facing eight cases, with convictions in two instances.