Prosecutors seek death penalty for ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol

Independent.co reported that South Korean prosecutors have requested the death penalty for former president Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. Mr Yoon was accused of plotting with senior aides to provoke an armed aggression from North Korea to justify the decision and consolidate his power; he has consistently rejected the accusations, insisting the declaration was within his presidential authority.

He was impeached by the National Assembly over the short-lived declaration and arrested on 15 January last year. Mr Yoon and his five cabinet ministers were among 24 people charged with offences related to insurrection following a six-month inquiry into the allegations. Investigators had previously accused Mr Yoon and military leaders of authorising covert drone flights into North Korea to inflame tensions as part of a coordinated strategy, and prosecutors said when the plan failed to spark a confrontation Mr Yoon charged ahead with declaring martial law and branded political opponents — including the then head of his own People Power Party — as "anti-state forces".

Key Topics

Politics, Yoon Suk Yeol, National Assembly, People Power Party, North Korea, Martial Law