South Korea's Former President Has Been Asked For The Death Penalty
- 14.01.2026, 10:51
The court in Seoul will make a decision on Feb. 19.
South Korea's special prosecutor's team has demanded the death penalty for former President Yun Seok-yol for his earlier failed attempt to impose martial law in the country, local news agency Yonhap.
"Former President Yoon imposed martial law in order to stay in power for a long time by seizing the judiciary and legislature," an assistant special prosecutor said during the final hearing of the case at the Seoul Central District Court. "The nature of the crime is serious because he mobilized material resources that should have been used solely for the benefit of the national community," the prosecution stressed.
According to Yonhap, as the sentencing motion was read out, the South Korean ex-president "smiled weakly from the courtroom, while some of his supporters in the room loudly cursed." The hearing lasted about 11 hours. The court is scheduled to sentence the former president on Feb. 19.
In late December, South Korea's former president was demanded to be sentenced to 10 years
South Korea's special prosecutor at the same Seoul court on Dec. 26 demanded that the country's former president, Yoon Seok-yol, be sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of obstruction of justice, Yonhap reported that day.
Five years in prison for Yoon was requested for trying to prevent investigators from arresting him in January 2025 by barricading himself in the presidential residence. Three years for violating the rights of nine cabinet ministers who were not summoned to a meeting on his plan to impose martial law, as well as for spreading false information in the foreign press about the imposition of martial law and destroying recordings of conversations from secure phones used by the country's military leadership. Another two years for drafting and then destroying a false decree on the introduction of martial law.
As noted at the time, the former president appears in three other criminal cases related to the attempt to impose martial law. In one of them, he was accused of leading a rebellion. In addition, in November, the special prosecutor's team accused Yoon of complicity with the DPRK and abuse of power in connection with the alleged sending of drones to North Korea in October 2024. According to law enforcers, Yoon wanted to provoke hostilities and use them as a pretext for the introduction of martial law in the country. According to the investigation, he "benefited the enemy", as South Korean drones crashed near the DPRK capital.
Arrest of the former president and his removal from power
In early December 2024, a political crisis erupted in South Korea after Yun Seok-yol unexpectedly declared martial law in the country amid budget disputes, justifying this step by "anti-state activities" of the opposition. The country's parliament refused to approve the decision, and the next morning the head of state had to cancel it. On December 14, deputies declared Yun impeachment. In early April 2025, it was approved by the Constitutional Court of the country.
January 15, 2025 Yoon Seok-yeol was arrested. It happened at the second attempt - the first one was repulsed by the presidential guards. The court ordered the arrest of the former head of the country, but on March 8, granted the defense's motion and released him from custody. However, in July, Yun was arrested again.