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A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection over his attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Yoon’s declaration of martial law was a plot to "paralyze" the National Assembly.
Yoon abruptly declared martial law in a televised address in December 2024, saying drastic measures were needed to root out “anti-state forces.”
Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon said Yoon dispatched troops to the National Assembly building in an effort to silence his political opponents.
“The Court finds that the intention was to paralyze the assembly for a considerable period,” Ji said during the hearing.
The judge said the declaration of martial law resulted in “enormous social costs” and noted that it was difficult to find any indication that Yoon had expressed remorse.
“We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment,” Ji said.
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