South Korean Court Sentences Former President Yoon Suk Yeol to Life Imprisonment for Martial Law Declaration
A South Korean court in Seoul sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment on Thursday for declaring martial law in December 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the court ruled that the declaration amounted to insurrection. Yoon had deployed troops to the National Assembly in an attempt to paralyze parliament. The hearing was attended by the former president and broadcast live on state television.
Yoon announced the martial law declaration in a surprise televised address and ordered the military to take control of the parliament building. Lawmakers pushed past soldiers and police, climbed over walls to enter the chamber and voted to reject the measure, forcing Yoon to revoke the order hours later.
The failed attempt triggered a political crisis, leading to Yoon's impeachment and removal from office. Prosecutors argued that the actions undermined constitutional order and democratic institutions, resulting in criminal charges and the trial.
The sentencing follows Yoon's short-lived martial law bid, which parliament swiftly overturned.
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