Seoul, South Korea – Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a court found him guilty of leading an insurrection during his short-lived imposition of martial law, an action that plunged the country into political chaos and threatened decades of democratic progress.
The verdict concludes a tumultuous period in South Korean politics, a saga marked by dramatic turns that tested the nation’s democratic institutions. On December 3, 2024, Yoon, 65, declared martial law in a late-night televised address, alleging the presence of “anti-state forces” within opposition parties sympathetic to North Korea.
Armed soldiers were deployed to the National Assembly by helicopter, attempting to storm the chamber where lawmakers were gathered. Citizens, lawmakers, and parliamentary staff rushed to barricade entrances, engaging in chaotic scenes broadcast live across the nation, attempting to prevent the soldiers from entering. Yoon swiftly reversed the declaration within six hours, following a unanimous vote by lawmakers to block its implementation after they forced their way into the parliament building.
Since the late 1980s, South Korea has undergone a significant transformation into a robust democracy, characterized by regular protests, freedom of speech, fair elections, and peaceful transitions of power. The country has also emerged as a major player in the global economy and remains a crucial ally of the United States in Asia. However, its domestic political landscape remains deeply polarized, with presidents frequently facing calls for impeachment, criminal investigations, and prosecution.
Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon stated that Yoon “directly and proactively planned the offense,” which “resulted in enormous social costs,” and noted the lack of remorse shown by the former president. Kim Yong-hyun, the former Defense Minister, was also convicted of participating in and planning the insurrection alongside Yoon.
The judge further emphasized that Yoon and Kim caused “incalculable” harm to South Korea’s international reputation and eroded public trust in institutions, including the police. While acknowledging that Yoon’s insurrection plan wasn’t “extremely meticulous” and that there appeared to be efforts to restrain the use of lethal force, the judge also referenced Yoon’s age – 65 – as a factor in the sentencing.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Yoon, though experts previously indicated that even if imposed, execution was unlikely given South Korea’s effective moratorium on capital punishment since 1997. Yoon, who has been detained since July 2025, can appeal the ruling, potentially escalating the case to a higher court and prolonging the legal process for months.
Yoon’s lawyer expressed concerns about the conviction, suggesting it was predetermined before the trial commenced, claiming, “We are witnessing a reality in which the rule of law is collapsing.”
The imposition of martial law evoked dark memories of South Korea’s authoritarian past. The events triggered a constitutional crisis and widespread condemnation as a direct assault on the nation’s democratic foundations.
A crowd of Yoon supporters gathered outside the Seoul Central District Court, watching the proceedings on a large screen as they were broadcast live.
Judge Ji Gwi-yeon explained that Yoon’s intention in declaring martial law was to paralyze the National Assembly for a significant period, citing his words in the military decree and attempts to arrest political opponents, including the leader of the opposition Democratic Party and Han Dong-hoo, the leader of his own ruling party. The dispatch of armed soldiers to the parliament building by helicopter, the judge stated, constituted acts of insurrection.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also found guilty Thursday of playing a major role in the insurrection and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Kim had previously taken responsibility for ordering soldiers to enact martial law.
Song Hwa, 35, who rushed to the National Assembly on December 3rd, described the verdict as an “extremely important decision” that “will send a powerful message to the public.”
Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, stated that Yoon “tried to destroy South Korea’s democracy,” adding, “There are many places where democracy is faltering. South Korea’s experience shows that the power to protect and recover democracy lies within the people.”
Yoon denied the insurrection charge, arguing that his imposition of martial law was a response to paralyzing political gridlock caused by the opposition party’s majority in the National Assembly and their impeachment of several senior officials. He maintained that as president, he was exercising his constitutional authority, stating, “The National Assembly brought about the national crisis and there was no other way but to awaken the people.” Yoon characterized the charge as “a delusion and a work of fiction,” asserting there was no intent to arrest lawmakers, no deployment of heavy weaponry, and no serious casualties.
Insurrection is one of the few criminal charges from which a South Korean president does not have immunity. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, a largely symbolic gesture given the country’s long-standing moratorium on executions. Park Eok-su, the special counsel, argued in closing statements that “the series of actions destroyed the liberal democratic constitutional order,” and that the “shock, fear, anxiety, wounds, and sense of loss suffered by the people are beyond description.” He added that Yoon had not shown remorse and that there remained a risk of similar actions in the future, stating, “The gravity of the crime of insurrection threatens the very existence of the community.”
Yoon was first detained in January 2025 after resisting arrest in a weeks-long standoff with authorities at his home in Seoul, becoming the first president in South Korean history to be arrested while in office. He was impeached eleven days after declaring martial law and removed from office four months later. He continues to face multiple charges related to his martial law declaration and other actions during his presidency.
Last month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing authorities attempting to detain him, abuse of power, and fabricating a document. He also faces charges of aiding an enemy state, with prosecutors alleging he deployed secret drones to provoke a military conflict with North Korea as a pretext for declaring martial law.
Several key allies of Yoon have already been prosecuted for their roles in the martial law decree. Last month, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in prison, becoming the first Yoon administration official convicted of insurrection charges. Last week, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min received a seven-year prison sentence for participating in a rebellion.
Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, is also currently incarcerated, serving a one-year-and-eight-month sentence for an unrelated bribery charge.
Thursday’s verdict marks the first time in 30 years that a South Korean leader has been sentenced for insurrection. In 1996, former President Chun Doo-hwan, an army major general, was convicted for seizing power in a 1979 military coup and presiding over the 1980 Gwangju massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators. He was initially sentenced to death, though the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was later pardoned.
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