Seoul court sentences ex‑president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years over martial law actions

Seoul central district court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for mobilising presidential security forces to block his own arrest and for abusing his powers, in the first judicial ruling linked to his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.

The court found Yoon guilty of special obstruction of official duties, abuse of power and falsifying documents, saying he had "disregarded the constitution" and shown no remorse. The presiding judge, Baek Dae‑hyun, said Yoon "deserves condemnation" and the former president's legal team said he will appeal.

The verdict is separate from Yoon's main insurrection trial, where prosecutors earlier sought the death penalty and a verdict is due next month. Prosecutors allege in that case that he attempted to use military force to paralyse the legislature, arrest political opponents and seize control of the national election commission.

Yoon stunned South Korea on 3 December 2024 when he declared martial law, dispatching police and armed troops to the national assembly; the emergency rule lasted six hours before he backed down. Weeks later investigators sought to arrest him and the court said he "abused his tremendous influence as president to obstruct lawful warrant execution, effectively privatising security officials sworn to serve the Republic of Korea into his personal troops," after barricading himself and deploying presidential security officers to block a court‑issued arrest warrant.

Key Topics

Politics, Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea, Seoul Court, Martial Law, Presidential Security Service