A Seoul court has ruled that South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, led an insurrection during his December 2024 martial law declaration. He was sentenced to life in prison.
South Korean court hands life sentence to ex-president Yoon
Richard Connor with
A Seoul court has ruled that South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, led an insurrection during his December 2024 martial law declaration. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Yoon Suk Yeol
The court found Yoon guilty of leading an insurrection when he abruptly declared martial law in 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found former President Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection and undermining the constitution.
Judges ruled that his declaration of martial law in December 2024 was intended to paralyze the National Assembly.
What did the court say about Yoon?
The court sentenced the 65-year-old to life in prison, despite a plea by prosecutors for the death sentence.
Presiding judge Jee Gwi-yeon said Yoon’s actions amounted to an intentional plot.
Jee said Yoon was guilty of rebellion for mobilizing security forces in an illegal effort to usurp the liberal-led National Assembly, detain politicians and claim unchecked power for a “considerable” time.
“The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has expressed remorse for that,” Jee said. “We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment.”
Yoon can appeal the verdict. He had consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming that he acted to “safeguard freedom” and restore constitutional order. Thousands of his supporters had gathered outside the courthouse with placards demanding that the charges be dropped.
South Korean court to decide fate of ex-president
A special prosecutor had said Yoon deserved the most serious punishment available, even though South Korea has not executed a death row inmate since 1997 in a de facto moratorium on capital punishment.
Yoon had already been found guilty and sentenced for charges that included fabricating official documentation and destroying potential criminal evidence.
The court also sentenced former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun to 30 years in prison for his role in the attempted power grab.
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