Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life in prison for leading an insurrection after declaring martial law in December 2024.
A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison for his role in an insurrection following his declaration of martial law in December 2024. The court found Yoon guilty of abuse of authority and orchestrating the insurrection, which was deemed unconstitutional.
Yoon, who is 65 years old, has consistently denied the charges against him. He argued that his decision to declare martial law was within his presidential authority and was intended to address what he described as obstruction by opposition parties.
Prosecutors contended that Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law was both unconstitutional and illegal, asserting that it undermined the functions of the National Assembly and the Election Commission. They argued that his actions effectively dismantled the liberal democratic constitutional order in South Korea.
The martial law declaration lasted approximately six hours and incited widespread protests across the nation. The South Korean parliament quickly moved to vote down the declaration, reflecting the public’s resistance to Yoon’s actions.
Under South Korean law, the crime of masterminding an insurrection carries severe penalties, including the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty. Although prosecutors sought the death penalty in this case, the last execution in South Korea occurred in 1997, and the country has not imposed a death sentence since 2016.
Yoon is expected to appeal the court’s ruling. In addition to this case, he is currently facing eight other ongoing trials. Last month, he received a five-year prison sentence in a separate case involving charges of obstructing authorities during attempts to arrest him following his martial law declaration. Yoon has also appealed that sentence.
According to Reuters, the political ramifications of this ruling could have significant implications for South Korea’s future leadership and governance.