South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Seoul Central District Court after being found guilty of masterminding an insurrection related to his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024. The court rejected the special prosecutor's claim that Yoon planned a long-term dictatorship but established that he led the insurrection by sending the military to the National Assembly.
Key points
- Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Yoon during the January hearing.
- Yoon was also previously sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing his arrest after impeachment.
- Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun received a 30-year sentence, and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received 23 years.
- Yoon maintained his innocence, arguing the martial law declaration was within his presidential authority to prevent obstruction by opposition parties.
- The martial law order, South Korea's first in 44 years, was overturned within three hours by a unanimous vote of 190 lawmakers.
Why it matters
This verdict represents a severe legal consequence for a former South Korean president regarding an attempt to subvert the constitutional order through military action.
Confidence: 100
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