Who is Yoon Suk Yeol? Former South Korean leader jailed over martial law attempt
South Korea’s ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of insurrection over his 2024 martial law bid that sparked the nation’s worst political crisis in decades.
Yoon sentenced to life in prison
A South Korean court on Thursday (Feb 19) found ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection, saying his martial law declaration was a deliberate blot to “paralyse” the National Assembly. Yoon was sentenced to life in prison on the charges of attempting to impose martial law in the country and sending troops to surround the legislature. The former leader was also found guilty of abuse of authority, the judge told the court. The move triggered the country’s most serious political crisis in decades on December 3, 2024.
Hundreds gathered outside judicial complex
The verdict was delivered by Seoul Central District Court Judge Jee Kui-youn. Hundreds of police officers were deployed outside the judicial complex as Yoon’s supporters gathered as the prison bus transporting him drove past. While critics demanded the death penalty for the former leader.
Martial law attempt
On the night of December 3, 2024, South Korea's former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, suddenly declared martial law in the country for the first time in nearly 50 years, citing “anti-state forces” and threats from North Korea. However, South Korean politicians, including his own conservative People's Power Party (PPP) leaders, called the law illegal and unconstitutional. Soon, citizens protested outside parliament as the MPs voted against it.
Yoon impeachment
The opposition Democratic Party (DP), led by Lee Jae-myung, filed a motion to impeach Yoon, which went through on December 14. He was formally removed by the Constitutional Court last year in April.
Who is Yoon Suk Yeol?
Born in Seoul in 1960, Yoon Suk Yeol is a public prosecutor and was elected as South Korea's president in May 2022. He played a significant role in the conviction of former president Park Geun-hye for abuse of power in 2016, which led to his rise into politics. He also indicted a top aide of Moon Jae-in, another former president, for bribery and fraud.
2022 election win
Soon, he became the presidential candidate of the conservative People Power Party, which was in opposition during that time. He won the March 2022 elections against Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party with an extremely narrow margin of less than one per cent, the lowest in the history of South Korea.
Scandals
While the South Korean society was dealing with a widening gap over gender issues, Yoon appealed to young male voters by including anti-feminist rhetoric in the campaign. Soon, Yoon was surrounded by a series of scandals, including the administration’s handling of the Seoul Halloween crowd crush that killed 159 people, which further decreased his popularity.
Accused of abusing power
Critics have blamed him for the staggering economy, food inflation, and restrictions on freedom of speech. Yoon has also been accused of abusing presidential veto power to prevent a bill from being passed that would have allowed an investigation into his wife Kim Keon-hee’s alleged involvement in stock manipulation. Last month, he apologised for the controversies involving his wife accepting a luxury Dior handbag in an address to the nation that was broadcast on TV.
Tough stance on North Korea
Yoon has maintained a tough stance on North Korea, unlike his predecessor, who engaged in dialogue and peaceful reconciliation. However, he has also been accused of seeking to provoke military aggression from North Korea to help consolidate his power.
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