South Korean Yoon Suk Yeol sentened to Life

A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison for leading an insurrection when he made a short-lived martial law declaration in December 2024.



Yoon, a former top prosecutor before becoming president, faces eight separate trial proceedings concerning his martial law declaration in 2024 and other actions, having lost presidential immunity since he ⁠was ousted by the Constitutional Court in April last year.



Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, arguing that he lacked the legal grounds at the time to declare martial law and order troops to arrest lawmakers.

South Korea last handed down a death sentence in 2016, but has not executed anyone since 1997.



Yoon has denied the charges and said that his martial law declaration, which lasted about six hours, was to protect liberal democracy.



Yoon, who has been detained at the Seoul Detention Centre, is expected to go back to his cell due to the ruling. His lawyer said they will discuss an appeal.