South Korea’s Yoon gets life in prison for declaring martial law

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.

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.

“The court finds that the intention was to paralyse the assembly for a considerable period,” Jee told Seoul Central District Court. “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.”

“We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment.”

However, the court found that there was insufficient evidence to suggest that Yoon had planned the imposition of martial law a year in advance, as alleged by prosecutors.

After attempting to impose martial law in the country, Yoon was suspended from office on December 14, 2024, after being impeached by the lawmakers. He was formally removed by the Constitutional Court last year in April.
Yoon’s defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, was also found guilty and will face a sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment.

On the night of December 3, 2024, South Korea's 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.

The opposition Democratic Party (DP), led by Lee Jae-myung, filed a motion to impeach Yoon, which went through on December 14.