A South Korean court has convicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of insurrection and sentenced him to life imprisonment, ruling that his declaration of martial law in December 2024 was intended to “paralyse” the National Assembly.
Yoon declared martial law in a televised address, claiming that extreme measures were necessary to eliminate “anti-state forces.” According to the Seoul Central District Court, he also deployed troops to the assembly building to suppress political opposition.
Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon stated that Yoon’s actions caused significant social disruption and noted that there was no evidence of remorse from the former president. “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,” Ji said. “We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment.”
