Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Treason

A court in Seoul issued a historic verdict in a case that shook the foundations of South Korean democracy. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol was found guilty of organizing a rebellion after his dramatic and short-lived attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. Judge Ji Gwi-yeon, announcing the verdict, emphasized that the defendant's actions caused enormous social costs and undermined the country's constitutional order. Although the special prosecutor sought the death penalty, the tribunal decided on life imprisonment, noting the former leader's lack of remorse. South Korea has a long and difficult history with authoritarian governments and military interventions; since full democratization in 1987, the country has become one of the strongest democracies in Asia, regularly holding its former leaders accountable in court. Along with Yoon, his closest associates were sentenced. Former Defense Minister Kim Jong-hyun received a sentence of 30 years in prison for involvement in planning the coup. Other high-ranking officials and military commanders received sentences ranging from 3 to 18 years of imprisonment. The court precisely demonstrated that the main goal of the conspiracy was to paralyze the work of the National Assembly using armed forces. During the verdict announcement, crowds of supporters of the conservative politician gathered outside the courthouse, demanding his release and hoping for a possible pardon by future authorities. „The declaration of martial law led to enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any signs indicating that the defendant expressed remorse.” — Ji Gwi-yeon This verdict concludes the most turbulent political trial in modern South Korean history. The impeachment process of Yoon ended definitively in April 2025, when the Constitutional Court upheld the parliament's decision to remove him from power. Although the death penalty formally exists in the country, a moratorium on its execution has been in place since 1997, making life imprisonment the most severe penalty actually applied in the South Korean justice system. Key verdicts in the trial: Yoon Suk-yeol (President): Death penalty request → Life imprisonment; Kim Jong-hyun (Defense Minister): Treason charge → 30 years in prison; Military commanders: Rebellion accusation → From 3 to 18 years in prison 1997 — year when the last execution was carried out in South Korea