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A South Korean court is set to deliver a pivotal ruling on whether former President Yoon Suk Yeol masterminded an insurrection during his controversial attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The decision by the Seoul Central District Court marks one of the most significant legal moments in South Korea’s modern political history and could have lasting implications for the country’s democracy.
Prosecutors have requested the death penalty, arguing that Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law was unconstitutional and severely undermined democratic institutions, including the National Assembly and the National Election Commission. Under South Korean law, leading an insurrection carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. Although South Korea last issued a death sentence in 2016, executions have not been carried out since 1997.
The charges also include abuse of power. Prosecutors allege that Yoon ordered troops to storm parliament, detain political opponents, and deploy soldiers and police to block access to opposition party facilities. Yoon, 65, has denied all accusations, maintaining that he acted within his presidential authority to address what he described as opposition obstruction of government operations.
Heavy security surrounded the Seoul Central District Court ahead of the verdict, reflecting the high public interest and political sensitivity of the case. Yoon is currently held at the Seoul Detention Centre and is expected to remain in custody regardless of the outcome. If convicted, he is likely to appeal. Even if acquitted, he still faces multiple ongoing trials. In January, he received a separate five-year prison sentence for obstructing authorities attempting to arrest him following the martial law declaration, a ruling he has also appealed.
Yoon’s six-hour martial law attempt sparked mass protests and was swiftly overturned by parliament, triggering a national political crisis. Current President Lee Jae Myung, elected in a snap election after Yoon’s removal, praised citizens for peacefully defending democratic principles, calling their actions a historic example for the world.
