In a landmark ruling that marks the first conviction in a series of high-stakes trials, a South Korean court on Friday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for charges tied to his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court, in proceedings broadcast live across the nation, found the 65-year-old ex-leader guilty of obstructing justice by ordering presidential security forces to block investigators from executing an arrest warrant against him in January 2025.
He was also convicted of abuse of power for bypassing a required full Cabinet meeting before imposing martial law, as well as fabricating and destroying official documents related to the decree.Judge Baek Dae-hyun described the offenses as "very serious," noting Yoon's lack of remorse and the need to restore trust in legal institutions damaged by his actions.
The five-year term is half the 10-year sentence prosecutors under Special Counsel Cho Eun-seok had demanded, calling Yoon's conduct an attempt to "privatize" state institutions to cover up wrongdoing.The martial law order, which lasted just six hours before the National Assembly voted to overturn it, sparked massive protests and ultimately led to Yoon's impeachment and removal from office. Yoon, who appeared slimmer and with graying hair in court, showed no visible reaction as the verdict was read amid a packed courtroom filled with his supporters.
Outside the court, his lawyer Yoo Jung-hwa announced plans to appeal, criticizing the decision as politically motivated. Prosecutors have yet to indicate whether they will challenge the sentence.This ruling is just the opening chapter in Yoon's legal saga—he still faces seven more trials, including the most serious charge of leading an insurrection, for which prosecutors have sought the death penalty.
A verdict in that case is expected next month on February 19.The decision has deepened divisions in South Korea, with far-right supporters rallying outside the courthouse in protest, while many others view it as a step toward accountability following one of the most dramatic political crises in the country's modern democratic history.
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