Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law in 2024 and sending military personnel to Parliament, according to a ruling by the Seoul Central District Court
A South Korean court sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison on Thursday (19), after finding him guilty of lead an insurrection by declaring martial law not end of 2024.
“The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is It is difficult to find any evidence that the defendant showed regret for this“, said Judge Ji Gwi-yeon of the Seoul Central District Court.
“We sentence him to life in prison,” added the magistrate.
Yoon declared martial law in a speech shown on nationwide television in December 2024. At the time, he stated that drastic measures were needed to eradicate “anti-state forces”.
The 65-year-old conservative former president was removed from office, detained and accused of a series of crimes, from insurrection to obstruction of justice.
Judge Ji recalled that Yoon sent military personnel to the Legislative headquarters to silence political opponents.
“The court determined that the intention was to paralyze the assembly for a considerable period,” highlighted the judge.
In turn, the Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to 30 years in prison for its role in the crisis.
Prosecutors requested a harsher sentence for the insurrection charges against Yoon and asked the Seoul court to hand down the death penalty against the former president.
Thousands of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the capital’s court with signs to express support and call for the charges to be dropped. Hundreds of police officers were deployed near the court to prevent any type of disturbance.
On the night of December 3, 2024, Yoon appeared on television to announce martial law, citing unclear threats of North Korean influence and dangerous “anti-state forces.”
He declared the suspension of civilian government and the beginning of military rule. Martial law was lifted six hours later, when deputies, helped by protesters, managed to break the security forces’ siege and vote urgently to reverse Yoon’s measure.
Insurrection
A South Korea is considered a symbol of democracy and stability in Asiabut Yoon’s failed attempt revived memories of the military coups that shook the country between 1960 and 1980.
Yoon, who is detained in solitary confinement, denies having acted wrongly and claims that his actions intended to “protect freedom” and restore constitutional order in the face of what he called a “legislative dictatorship” led by the opposition.
The Public Ministry accused him of leading a
South Korean law mandates only two types of punishment for insurrection: life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Yoon had already been sentenced to five years in prison on other charges. Other high-ranking officials were also convicted for their part in the attempt to declare martial law.
*AFP
