Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a court found him guilty of orchestrating an insurrection tied to his 2024 declaration of martial law.
The ruling was delivered on February 19, 2026, by the Seoul Central District Court, which held that Yoon’s actions during the brief but dramatic political crisis constituted a serious assault on the country’s democratic system.
Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon said the former leader’s decision to deploy armed troops to the National Assembly and move against political opponents amounted to an unconstitutional attempt to seize extraordinary powers. “The defendant proactively planned an offense that resulted in enormous social costs,” the judge said, noting that Yoon had shown little remorse for his actions.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, arguing that the offense threatened the constitutional order. However, the court opted for life imprisonment, citing the absence of fatalities and describing the six-hour episode as lacking detailed operational planning.
Although capital punishment remains on the statute books in South Korea, the country has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997, making life imprisonment the most severe practical penalty.
The charges stem from Yoon’s late-night televised address on December 3, 2024, when he announced the suspension of civilian rule and the imposition of martial law. He justified the move by citing alleged threats from North Korean influence and so-called “anti-state forces.”
The declaration triggered immediate political backlash. Lawmakers rushed to the National Assembly to convene an emergency vote, overturning the martial law order within six hours and restoring civilian governance.
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