The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found former President Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection and undermining the constitution.
Judges ruled that his declaration of martial law in December 2024 was intended to paralyze the National Assembly.
What did the court say about Yoon?
The court sentenced the 65-year-old to life in prison, despite a plea by prosecutors for the death sentence.
Presiding judge Jee Gwi-yeon said Yoon’s actions amounted to an intentional plot.
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Jee said Yoon was guilty of rebellion for mobilizing security forces in an illegal effort to usurp the liberal-led National Assembly, detain politicians and claim unchecked power for a “considerable” time.
“The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has expressed remorse for that,” Jee said. “We sentence Yoon to life imprisonment.”
Yoon can appeal the verdict. He had consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming that he acted to “safeguard freedom” and restore constitutional order. Thousands of his supporters had gathered outside the courthouse with placards demanding that the charges be dropped.