South Korea Court Sentences Ex-President Yoon to Life

A South Korean court on Thursday convicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of leading an insurrection over his attempt to impose martial law in December 2024, sentencing him to life in prison in one of the country’s most significant political rulings in decades.

The Seoul Central District Court said Yoon abused his presidential authority by ordering military forces to move toward the National Assembly and other state institutions in a bid to override lawmakers and assert emergency control.

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, arguing that his actions posed a direct threat to the constitutional order and democratic governance.

• South Korea court sentences former President Yoon to life for insurrection
• Yoon Suk Yeol faces life imprisonment for martial law attempt and insurrection
• South Korea’s historic ruling against Yoon raises political and legal concerns

In its ruling, the court stated that deploying troops to interfere with parliament constituted an act of insurrection under South Korean law. The verdict follows months of hearings that examined military communications, cabinet discussions and testimony from senior officials. Yoon was impeached by parliament and formally removed from office in April 2025 after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment motion.

Yoon stood in court as the judgment was delivered. His lawyers said they would appeal, maintaining that the martial law declaration fell within presidential powers during a national emergency. The court rejected that argument, saying the legal threshold for such action had not been met.

Several former officials, including the ex-defence minister, also received prison terms for their roles in executing the order. The ruling has drawn strong reactions from both supporters and critics, with security tightened around the courthouse amid demonstrations.

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South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997, though the death penalty remains on the books for crimes such as insurrection. The conviction marks a sharp fall for Yoon, who was elected on a conservative platform and now faces a prolonged legal battle as he challenges the life sentence on appeal.