A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection through his 2024 declaration of martial law.
Yoon, 65, shocked the nation on December 3, 2024, when he interrupted late-night television broadcasts to announce emergency military rule, claiming drastic action was needed to eliminate “anti-state forces” in the National Assembly.
He was later impeached, arrested and charged with crimes ranging from insurrection to obstruction of justice.
Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon told the Seoul Central District Court that Yoon had deployed troops to parliament in an attempt to silence political opponents who had blocked his legislative agenda.
“The court finds that the intention was to paralyse the assembly for a considerable period,” Ji said. “The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has expressed remorse.”
“We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment,” the judge concluded.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, the maximum punishment for insurrection under South Korean law arguing Yoon’s actions were driven by a “lust for power aimed at dictatorship and long-term rule.” However, South Korea has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997, meaning a death sentence would in practice amount to life behind bars.
Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the crisis. Several other senior officials are also facing lengthy jail terms.
Political turmoil
Thousands of Yoon supporters gathered outside the courthouse ahead of the verdict, holding placards reading “Yoon Great Again” and “Drop the charge against President Yoon.” Police in neon jackets erected barricades using buses parked nose-to-tail to prevent unrest.
The dramatic downfall of Yoon has shaken South Korea’s reputation as one of Asia’s most stable democracies, reviving memories of military coups that disrupted the country between 1960 and 1980.
Martial law lasted just six hours before lawmakers forced its repeal in an emergency session, barricading themselves inside the National Assembly to prevent armed troops from entering. The move triggered street protests, rattled financial markets and caught key allies, including the United States, off guard.
Yoon has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting he acted to “safeguard freedom” and counter what he described as an opposition-led “legislative dictatorship.” He had already received a five-year sentence on separate charges.
In a related case, his wife, Kim Keon Hee, was sentenced in January to 20 months in prison on unrelated bribery charges dating from her time as first lady.
AFP
