A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison after finding him guilty on several charges related to his decision to impose martial law. The ruling marks the first court verdict among eight criminal cases filed against Yoon over an order he issued in late 2024 and other related allegations.
Prosecutors argued that Yoon’s actions caused serious damage to the country’s constitutional order and democratic process. The most serious charge against him accuses Yoon of leading an insurrection in connection with the enforcement of martial law, an offense that could carry the death penalty under the law. However, a final verdict on that grave charge has yet to be delivered.
In Friday’s decision, the Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty on charges including defying an order by authorities to remain in custody in connection with the case. The court described his actions as a serious challenge to the rule of law. Following the verdict, Yoon did not immediately issue a public response.
Earlier, an independent special prosecutor had sought a 10-year prison sentence, while Yoon’s defense team argued that the charges were politically motivated and that there was no legal basis for demanding such an “excessive” punishment. After Yoon briefly imposed martial law in December 2024, widespread protests erupted across the country.
As public demonstrations demanding his removal intensified, Yoon was ultimately impeached, arrested, and removed from office. Yoon has consistently claimed that his order was not intended to lead the country into prolonged military rule, but was instead meant to alert the public to what he described as threats arising from an opposition-controlled parliament that he said was continuously obstructing his agenda. Investigators, however, have characterized the order as an act of insurrection, abuse of power, and other criminal offenses, concluding that Yoon sought to consolidate and prolong his rule.
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