A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on January 16, 2026, marking the first verdict in eight criminal trials stemming from his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found the 65-year-old former prosecutor guilty of mobilizing the presidential security service to block authorities from executing an arrest warrant to investigate him for his martial law declaration.
Judge Baek Dae-hyun delivered the ruling in a televised proceeding, stating that imposing a heavy punishment was necessary because Yoon has not shown remorse and has only repeated hard-to-comprehend excuses. The judge emphasized that restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon's actions was essential for the nation's democratic institutions. Yoon was also found guilty of fabricating official documents and failing to follow the legal process required for martial law, which mandates discussion at a formal cabinet meeting.
The conviction represents a dramatic fall from grace for the former leader who briefly plunged South Korea into political chaos when he declared martial law without proper justification in late 2024. His attempt to suspend parliament and impose military rule lasted only hours before being overturned, but the incident triggered a constitutional crisis that ultimately forced him from office and led to his arrest.
In a separate and more serious trial, prosecutors have requested the death penalty for Yoon on charges of masterminding an insurrection. Legal experts suggest that while the court is unlikely to impose capital punishment, a life sentence or a term of 30 years or more remains possible. South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997, making the actual implementation of a death sentence highly improbable.
Yoon's defense team announced immediately after the ruling that they would appeal the verdict. His lawyer, Yoo Jung-hwa, expressed regret over what she characterized as a politicized decision. South Korea has a notable history of pardoning former presidents who were jailed for various crimes in the name of promoting national unity, including strongman Chun Doo-hwan who received the death penalty for his 1979 coup before being pardoned.