In a landmark ruling that marks a dramatic fall from power, former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment for insurrection charges related to his declaration of emergency martial law. The Seoul Central District Court delivered its verdict Thursday in a proceeding broadcast live nationwide, creating a historic moment in South Korea’s democratic journey.
The court determined that Yoon’s deployment of military forces to the National Assembly in December 2024 constituted a direct assault on constitutional order. Presiding judges emphasized that declaring martial law without legitimate cause—specifically absent war, incident, or equivalent national emergency—represented an unconstitutional power grab designed to subvert parliamentary authority.
Prosecutors from the independent counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk had sought capital punishment for the ousted leader, arguing he orchestrated a systematic attempt to undermine South Korea’s democratic foundations. The court instead imposed life imprisonment, the maximum penalty short of execution for insurrection ringleaders under South Korean law.
This case represents the third instance in South Korean history where a former president faced insurrection charges, following predecessors Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo who were convicted for their roles in military coups and martial law crackdowns.
The judicial proceedings revealed coordinated efforts between Yoon and senior security officials to obstruct parliamentary functions. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun received a 30-year sentence for his central role in mobilizing military resources, while former Defense Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won and former National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho received 18 and 12-year terms respectively.
The controversial martial law declaration occurred on December 3, 2024, but was revoked hours later through legislative action. This triggered a constitutional crisis that ultimately led to Yoon’s impeachment in April 2025 and subsequent indictment while in detention this past January.
The court’s comprehensive ruling addressed eight defendants total, with all receiving significant sentences for their participation in what judges characterized as a deliberate attack on South Korea’s democratic institutions.