Seoul, South Korea — Web Desk: A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment after convicting him of treason over his declaration of martial law in December 2024 and the attempted dissolution of parliament.
According to international media reports, the court ruled that Yoon deliberately sought to paralyze the constitutional system by deploying the military to block the National Assembly from functioning. Judges said his actions constituted a serious violation of his constitutional duties and caused major political and social turmoil in the country.
The verdict stated that Yoon led a military uprising and showed no remorse during the trial. In his defense, the former president argued that he had constitutional authority to impose martial law and claimed the move was intended to counter opposition obstruction. The court rejected this argument and imposed a life sentence, although prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
Yoon is currently being held at the Seoul Detention Center, and his lawyers have indicated they will appeal, calling the ruling “pre-scripted.”
The martial law declaration on December 3, 2024, was reversed within hours following massive public protests and a parliamentary vote, leading to impeachment proceedings. In 2025, the National Assembly removed Yoon from office, after which he was detained and charged in multiple cases, including treason. Earlier this year, he was also sentenced to five years in prison in a separate case related to obstructing his arrest.
