A South Korean court sentenced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison on Thursday, February 19, after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection with his martial law declaration in 2024.
Yoon abruptly declared martial law in a televised address in December 2024, saying drastic measures were needed to root out "anti-state forces" in South Korea's National Assembly. The 65-year-old hardline conservative was later impeached, arrested, and charged with a litany of crimes ranging from insurrection to obstruction of justice.
Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon said Yoon sent troops to the assembly building in an effort to silence political opponents who had frustrated his attempts to govern. "The court finds that the intention was to paralyze the assembly for a considerable period," Ji told the Seoul Central District Court.
"The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has expressed remorse for that," the judge said. "We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment."
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South Korean Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced to Life in Prison for Insurrection
02/19/2026
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