South Korea Court Jails Ex-President Yoon for Life Over Martial Law
A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment for declaring martial law in 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ruling was issued Thursday at a court in Seoul. The court said the declaration of martial law amounted to insurrection, noting that Yoon Suk Yeol deployed troops to the National Assembly in an attempt to paralyse parliament.
The hearing was attended by the former president and broadcast live on state television, underscoring the case’s national significance.
Yoon declared martial law in a surprise televised address in December 2024 and ordered the military to take control of parliament.
Lawmakers pushed past soldiers and police, climbed over walls to enter the chamber and voted against the move, forcing him to revoke the order hours later.
The failed martial law attempt triggered a political crisis in South Korea, leading to Yoon’s impeachment and removal from office.
Prosecutors argued that the move undermined constitutional order and democratic institutions, paving the way for criminal charges and trial.
The life sentence marks a dramatic fall for Yoon and highlights South Korea’s commitment to holding leaders accountable under the rule of law.
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