A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of masterminding an insurrection linked to his failed attempt to impose military rule in December 2024.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, relates to Yoon’s dramatic six-hour declaration of martial law, a move that paralysed parts of the government and ultimately led to his impeachment and removal from office.
Lawmakers defied armed police and military personnel to convene inside the National Assembly and vote down the decree. Parliament later impeached Yoon, and he was arrested and charged with multiple offences.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, arguing that a lesser sentence would fail to deter future attempts at military rule. However, the court imposed life imprisonment, citing the short-lived nature of the martial law order as a mitigating factor.
Yoon, 65, is already serving a five-year sentence for abuse of power and obstruction of justice related to the same episode. He also faces additional trials, including charges of aiding an enemy state and violating campaign laws. He is widely expected to appeal.
The political crisis began as a power struggle between Yoon and opposition lawmakers, including members of the Democratic Party of Korea. Yoon had justified the martial law declaration by claiming there were “North Korean communist forces” operating within the opposition allegations that were widely rejected.
Current President Lee Jae Myung, who was nearly arrested during the crisis, has previously said those responsible for insurrection should be punished “to the end of their lives.” It remains unclear whether he would consider a presidential pardon, although past South Korean presidents convicted of crimes have eventually been granted clemency.
The verdict follows the recent sentencing of former prime minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in what the court described as an “insurrection from the top.” Former interior minister Lee Sang-min was also jailed for seven years.
Yoon’s legal troubles extend to his family. In January, his wife, Kim Keon Hee, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for accepting bribes, though she was cleared of other charges.
Hundreds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the Seoul courthouse following Thursday’s ruling, underscoring his continued influence among segments of the public. In recent months, he has recast himself as a populist right-wing figure, with some supporters embracing conspiracy theories about election fraud and foreign interference.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-Shik called on Yoon to apologise, while opposition leaders criticised the life sentence as too lenient.
With appeals expected and further trials pending including allegations that Yoon attempted to provoke tensions with North Korea as a pretext for martial law the political and legal fallout from the 2024 crisis appears far from over.
