Seoul, South Korea – Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for orchestrating a failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024, an act the court deemed an insurrection. The ruling, delivered by Judge Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court, fell short of the death penalty sought by prosecutors.
Yoon, who was ousted from office following the controversial declaration of martial law, was found guilty of mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal bid to seize control of the National Assembly, arrest political opponents and establish unchecked power. According to the court, Yoon justified the measure as necessary to counter what he described as an “anti-state” liberal majority in the legislature that was obstructing his policy agenda. The decree lasted approximately six hours before legislators were able to lift it through a unanimous vote.
While the prosecution argued that Yoon’s actions posed a grave threat to South Korea’s democracy and warranted the death penalty, Judge Jee cited several mitigating factors in the sentencing. These included the failure of most of Yoon’s plans, his lack of prior criminal record, his long career as a public servant, and his age – 65. “The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to identify any indication that the accused has expressed remorse for it. We sentence him to life imprisonment,” Judge Jee stated, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Yoon was initially suspended from office on December 14, 2024, and formally impeached by the Constitutional Court in April 2025. He has been under arrest since July 2025, facing multiple criminal charges, with the rebellion charge being the most serious. Last month, he received a five-year prison sentence for resisting arrest, falsifying the martial law proclamation, and skipping a mandatory cabinet meeting prior to the declaration.
Several former members of Yoon’s administration also received significant prison sentences. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years for attempting to legitimize the martial law decree, falsifying documents, and perjury. Han has appealed the conviction. Kim Yong Hyun, the former Minister of Defense, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his central role in planning and mobilizing the military forces involved in the attempt.
The sentencing sparked demonstrations both for and against the former president. Supporters gathered outside the Seoul Central District Court, with some staging a sit-in the previous day. Yonhap news agency reported that conservative groups announced plans for rallies involving more than 4,000 people. Progressive groups, under the banner of the Candlelight Action, also held demonstrations near the court and the Seoul Central Prosecutors Office. Police deployed over 1,000 officers and erected barricades around the court complex in anticipation of potential unrest.
South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on the death penalty since 1997, with no executions carried out amid growing calls for its abolition. Yoon is expected to appeal the life sentence.
