Life Imprisonment for Former South Korean President Due to Martial Law Enforcement

SadaNews - Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-youl was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday after being convicted of leading a rebellion following the brief declaration of martial law in late 2024.

Judge Ji Gwi-yun of the Seoul Central Court stated during the reading of the verdict that the former conservative leader will spend his life behind bars, having evaded the death penalty sought by the prosecution.

The ruling comes after Yoon announced martial law in a surprise speech on the evening of December 3, 2024, and ordered the military to storm the National Assembly. However, a sufficient number of lawmakers managed to enter the chamber and issued a resolution against the power seizure, forcing the then-president to back down.

The suspension of civilian government lasted only six hours, but it triggered a deep and long-lasting political crisis in the country.

Yoon was ousted in April 2025 due to these actions and appeared in court while in custody.

The court, which also convicted former Defense Minister Kim Young-hyun, is expected to issue rulings against other defendants linked to the case soon.