- Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life imprisonment
- Convicted over December 2024 martial law declaration
- Court says move aimed to cripple National Assembly
- Judge cites no remorse and huge social damage
A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of insurrection linked to his controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice Ji Gwi-yeon of the Seoul Central District Court, who held that Yoon’s actions were designed to paralyse South Korea’s legislative arm of government.
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According to the court, the former president deployed troops to the National Assembly of South Korea in an attempt to silence political opposition and prevent lawmakers from functioning.
“The court finds that the intention was to paralyse the assembly for a considerable period,” Justice Ji said.
The judge noted that the declaration of martial law inflicted enormous social and political damage on the country and added that Yoon had shown no sign of remorse since the incident.
“We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment,” the judge ruled.
Yoon had abruptly announced martial law in a nationally televised address in December 2024, claiming drastic action was necessary to eliminate what he described as “anti-state forces” operating within the National Assembly.
The 65-year-old hardline conservative leader was later impeached by lawmakers, arrested by authorities, and charged with multiple offences, including insurrection and obstruction of justice.
The verdict marks one of the most dramatic political falls in South Korea’s modern history and underscores the judiciary’s stance against the use of military force to undermine democratic institutions.