Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday for orchestrating an insurrection during his December 2024 declaration of martial law.
The verdict, handed down by Seoul Central District Court Judge Jee Kui-youn, stopped short of the death penalty prosecutors had sought. The ruling was broadcast live on major South Korean networks.
Judge Jee said Yoon “led an insurrection and committed acts aimed at subverting the country’s constitutional order.”
The court noted that Yoon “planned the crime, involved a large number of people, and showed no remorse,” highlighting his repeated refusals to appear in court.
The court also found that Yoon had ordered the military to capture key figures, including current President Lee Jae Myung, and attempted to paralyze parliament by deploying troops to blockade the National Assembly.
Five others were convicted alongside Yoon, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who received a 30-year prison term.
The defendants have one week to appeal the decision.
This life sentence follows a separate January ruling in which Yoon was sentenced to five years for attempting to obstruct his arrest after being impeached and suspended from office.
