A former South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was convicted of insurrection by a South Korean court on Thursday and handed a life sentence. The court determined that Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December 2024 was a deliberate attempt to incapacitate the National Assembly. Yoon had announced martial law in a televised speech, citing the need for drastic action to eliminate perceived “anti-state elements.” According to Chief Judge Ji Gwi-yeon, Yoon deployed military forces to the assembly premises to suppress his political adversaries, aiming to disrupt the assembly’s functioning for an extended period. The court noted the significant societal repercussions of the martial law declaration and highlighted the absence of any signs of remorse from the defendant. Consequently, Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Seoul Central District Court.
