Supporters rally near Seoul Central District Court, calling for the acquittal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces a first-trial verdict on insurrection charges, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a court found him guilty of leading an insurrection linked to his Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration.
The court concluded that the decree met the legal definition of insurrection but declined to impose the death sentence despite special counsel’s earlier request for capital punishment.
The court ruling came 443 days after Yoon declared martial law.
The court acknowledged Yoon as "the leader of the insurrection,” on the basis that his martial law declaration violated the authority of the Assembly, which constitutes insurrection.
It said Yoon’s martial law declaration, his attempt to block the National Assembly and issuance of a martial law decree constitute insurrection aimed at damaging the constitutional order.
In explaining its decision, the court said, “While the elements of the crime are recognized, the court considered various factors in determining the punishment.”
Yoon stood trial on charges of leading an insurrection over his declaration of martial law, in a case centered on whether the move was an attempt to subvert the constitutional order.
Prosecutors allege that Yoon conspired with senior officials, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, to impose martial law despite the absence of the constitutional conditions required to do so. They contend that troops and police officers were deployed to prevent the National Assembly from voting to lift the decree and that authorities moved to detain prominent political figures and election officials.
In their closing arguments, the special prosecutors described the case as a profound breach of constitutional governance and sought the harshest punishment allowed under law. They argued that deploying armed personnel and attempting to seal off the legislature amounted to a use of force that satisfies the legal threshold for insurrection.
Source: Korea Times News
