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South Korea's top court upholds ex-president Yoon's 7-year prison sentence

  • Thursday July 09, 2026 03:07AM
  • By Sadiq Ahmed
  • Reading Time: 3 mins read
  • Source: AFP
  • Description: Yoon Suk Yeol

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    South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year prison sentence handed to former President Yoon Suk Yeol over charges linked to his controversial 2024 martial law declaration and efforts to obstruct investigations that followed. 

     

    The ruling affirms an earlier decision by the Seoul High Court, which increased Yoon's sentence from five to seven years after finding him guilty on additional charges, including obstructing official duties, falsifying documents and interfering with lawful procedures surrounding the martial law declaration. 

     

    In a brief televised judgment, the Supreme Court dismissed appeals filed by both prosecutors and the defence.

     

    "All appeals are dismissed," a judge said, ruling that the lower court's decision contained no legal errors. 

     

    The case centred on allegations that Yoon bypassed proper cabinet procedures before declaring martial law in December 2024, convening only a select group of ministers rather than a full cabinet meeting as required by law. Prosecutors also accused him of creating and destroying a false martial law decree bearing forged signatures and directing officials to circulate misleading information to international media. 

     

    Additional charges stemmed from Yoon's alleged use of presidential security personnel to block investigators from executing an arrest warrant after lawmakers moved to overturn the martial law order. 

     

    Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison sentence, arguing that the former president abused his authority and caused significant damage to public trust and democratic institutions. 

     

    Reacting to the verdict, Yoon's legal team expressed disappointment, accusing the court of reaching its decision without adequately considering the defence's arguments. The lawyers said they would explore constitutional avenues to challenge the ruling. 

     

    The former president remains in custody while appealing a separate life sentence imposed earlier this year after he was convicted of leading an insurrection through the martial law declaration. In another case, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison over allegations that he authorised drone operations into North Korea to create a security crisis ahead of the martial law move. 

     

    Yoon has consistently defended his actions, insisting that the declaration of martial law was made in the national interest and was intended to counter what he described as anti-state forces and security threats from North Korea. 

     

    The brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered one of South Korea's most serious political crises in decades. Although lawmakers overturned the order within hours, the move sparked mass protests, rattled financial markets and drew concern from key international allies, including the United States. 

     

    Yoon was ultimately removed from office in April 2025, paving the way for elections that brought Lee Jae Myung and the centre-left Democratic Party to power. 

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