Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Handed Life Sentence for Rebellion

 

 

The Seoul Central District Court finds 65-year-old former leader guilty of leading a violent insurrection to suppress parliament in December 2024.

 

South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to life in prison following a landmark conviction for insurrection over his abortive attempt to impose military rule.

 

On Thursday, the Seoul Central District Court found the 65-year-old guilty of leading a rebellion in a failed bid to subvert the nation's democratic institutions.

 

The court ruled that Yoon was responsible for the violent suppression of parliamentary functions and for ordering the military to detain key political figures, including the then-leader of the opposition.

 

 

 

The December Crisis

The charges stem from the dramatic events of December 2024, when  Yoon stunned the world by declaring martial law. The decree was short-lived, overturned by parliament within hours and followed by his impeachment just 11 days later.

 

The court noted that the attempt plunged the country into its deepest political crisis in decades, threatening the very foundations of the South Korean state.
 

 

 

 

 

 

The Verdict

While prosecutors had sought the death penalty—a sentence still technically available under South Korean law for insurrection—the judges opted for a life term.

 

In its summary, the court described the former leader’s actions as a "violent disruption" of constitutional order. The ruling underscored that Mr Yoon had actively mobilised the military to bypass the democratic process in an effort to consolidate power.
 

 

 

 

A Fall from Grace

Yoon, who has faced eight separate trials since his removal from office, is already serving a five-year sentence for unrelated charges. However, today’s verdict is by far the most significant, marking a definitive end to the political career of the once-powerful prosecutor-turned-president.

 

The sentencing is expected to be appealed, but for now, it serves as a powerful signal of the resilience of South Korea’s judiciary in the face of executive overreach.