Former Leader of South Korea Faces Lifetime Incarceration for Martial Law Implementation
The ex-leader of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been given a lifetime prison sentence due to his short-lived enactment of martial law in late 2024.
Judge Jee Kui-youn declared Yoon guilty of rebellion, citing his unauthorized mobilization of military and police forces to take over the liberal-dominated National Assembly, detain political figures, and establish an unchecked rule for a significant duration.
Appeal Expected
It's anticipated that Yoon will contest this verdict. An earlier call from a special prosecutor for the death penalty, due to the threat Yoon's actions posed to the nation's democracy, was expected to be substituted with a life sentence as his ill-conceived power attempt didn't lead to any loss of life.
South Korea has not carried out a death sentence since 1997, a pattern generally viewed as an unofficial suspension of capital punishment, with increasing demands for its total abolition.
Public Reaction and Sentences for Other Participants
Upon Yoon's arrival in court, a large group of police officers kept a watchful eye on the demonstrations of Yoon's supporters outside the judicial complex. Their chants escalated as the bus transporting Yoon to prison drove by them. Critics of Yoon, standing at a distance, were demanding the death penalty.
The court also found guilty and penalized several ex military and police officials who were involved in the enforcement of Yoon's martial law decree. This included the former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who was handed a 30-year prison sentence due to his key role in designing the measure and mobilizing the military.
Yoon's Defense and the Effect of His Actions
Yoon, a die-hard conservative, has defended his martial law edict, claiming it was essential to halt liberals, whom he labeled as "anti-state" entities, from hindering his plan with their legislative majority.
However, the decree was only in effect for about six hours before it was annulled. A sufficient number of lawmakers managed to bypass a military blockade and unanimously voted to lift the measure.
Yoon's Downfall
Yoon was removed from his office on December 14, 2024, following his impeachment by lawmakers. He was officially dismissed by the Constitutional Court in April 2025 and has been under arrest since the middle of the following year while facing various criminal trials. The charge of rebellion carries the harshest punishment.
Yoon had previously been sentenced to a five-year prison term for resisting arrest, forging the martial law announcement, and bypassing a legally required full Cabinet meeting before declaring the measure.
Furthermore, two of Yoon's Cabinet members were found guilty in separate cases by the Seoul Central Court. This includes the Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received a 23-year prison sentence for trying to validate the decree by forcing it through a Cabinet Council meeting, altering records, and committing perjury. Han has filed an appeal against this verdict.