South Korea’s Former President Jailed for Life Over Martial Law Bid

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a Seoul court found him guilty of leading an insurrection by attempting to impose military rule.

The court ruled that on 3 December 2024, Yoon sought to undermine the constitution by deploying troops to seal off the National Assembly and ordering the arrest of political opponents. Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon said Yoon’s actions severely damaged the country’s democracy and warranted the harshest punishment. Prosecutors had pushed for the death penalty.

Although the martial law declaration lasted only hours, it deepened political divisions nationwide. Large crowds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse ahead of sentencing, waving banners and chanting in his favor. Many were visibly emotional after the verdict. Anti-Yoon demonstrators were also present, calling for capital punishment.

Yoon showed little reaction as the sentence was delivered. His legal team argued that the ruling lacked sufficient evidence and accused the judge of delivering a predetermined judgment. If either side appeals, the case will move to the Supreme Court, potentially delaying a final decision for months.

Yoon stunned the nation when he announced martial law during a live television broadcast, claiming it was necessary to counter “anti-state” forces allegedly sympathetic to North Korea. However, critics argued the move was driven by mounting domestic pressures, including a hostile opposition-controlled parliament and corruption allegations involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

Lawmakers forced their way into the National Assembly and overturned the order within hours, triggering months of political turmoil. Yoon was later impeached and indicted alongside several senior officials.

Former prime minister Han Duck-soo received a 23-year sentence for his role in the plot, while ex-defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly advised Yoon to impose martial law, was sentenced to 30 years. Other senior officials, including former interior minister Lee Sang-min, former intelligence commander Roh Sang-won and ex-police chief Cho Ji-ho, were also jailed in what judges described as “an insurrection from the top.”

Security was tight around the courthouse, with police buses forming barricades and around 1,000 officers deployed.

Throughout the trial, Yoon maintained that he had constitutional authority as president to declare martial law, arguing that the move was necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and freedom. The ruling Democratic Party, which won the presidency following his removal from office, criticized the life sentence as too lenient and said justice had not been fully served.

South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997, meaning even a death sentence would likely have resulted in life imprisonment. Yoon is already serving time for separate convictions related to abuse of power and obstructing his arrest, and he still faces additional trials.

Several former South Korean presidents have previously been jailed but later pardoned after serving a few years raising speculation that Yoon could eventually receive similar clemency.