Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been handed a life prison sentence after a Seoul court found him guilty of leading an insurrection tied to his declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday by the Seoul Central District Court, which determined that Yoon’s actions sought to disrupt the constitutional order.
The court concluded that Yoon’s late-night announcement in December 2024 — in which he imposed martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly — amounted to an unlawful rebellion that aimed to paralyse the legislature and silence political opposition. Judge Ji Gwi-yeon said the move caused significant political and social upheaval and showed little evidence of remorse.
Prosecutors had pushed for the death penalty, but the court opted for life imprisonment, recognising the severity of the offence while noting that the insurrection attempt ultimately failed and did not lead to widespread casualties. ʻSouth Korea has not executed anyone since 1997, and a de facto moratorium on capital punishment exists.’
Alongside Yoon’s sentence, several senior figures tied to the martial law declaration were also convicted. Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun received a 30-year sentence for his role in the attempt to deploy military and police units as part of the rebellion. Other officials involved in planning or executing the aborted martial law order have also been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Yoon’s controversial decree, issued on December 3, 2024, was broadcast live on national television and lasted only a few hours before lawmakers and protestors forced its repeal.
The declaration triggered nationwide unrest, unsettled financial markets, and drew international concern before the National Assembly voted to rescind it.
Yoon was suspended from the presidency on December 14, 2024, after being impeached by the legislature. The Constitutional Court formally removed him from office in April 2025, paving the way for criminal proceedings.
He has been in custody since his arrest in July 2025 and has faced multiple charges, including rebellion, obstruction of justice, and abuse of power.
The conviction is seen as a landmark moment in South Korea’s modern democratic history and illustrates the judiciary’s ruling that no political leader is above the law.