South Korea Supreme Court Affirms Prison Sentence in Landmark Martial Law Case Against Former President Yoon

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed a seven-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in the first case stemming from his 2024 martial law decree to reach the nation’s highest judicial body.

The ruling upheld a prior decision by the Seoul High Court, which convicted Yoon of violating Cabinet members’ rights to deliberation, fabricating the official martial law proclamation to conceal procedural flaws, and deploying presidential security forces to obstruct law enforcement during his post-impeachment arrest attempt.

Yoon’s martial law order, which lasted mere hours, collapsed after National Assembly lawmakers breached a military blockade and voted to repeal it, compelling his Cabinet to rescind the measure.

Yoon remains incarcerated and did not attend the ruling, which is legally binding. He continues to face separate trials, including an appeal against a life sentence for rebellion tied to the same martial law incident.

In a statement, Yoon’s legal representatives expressed “deep regret,” criticizing the Supreme Court for concluding the case without thorough scrutiny.

The verdict aligned with the Constitutional Court’s April 2025 ruling that removed Yoon from office, citing his martial law decree as legally unfounded and procedurally flawed.

Prior to announcing martial law on December 3, 2024, Yoon summoned 11 Cabinet members, including then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, but witnesses testified he disclosed his decision unilaterally rather than seeking consensus. The Seoul High Court also ruled that Yoon infringed on nine additional officials’ rights by excluding them from the meeting or notifying them too late.

Despite its brevity, Yoon’s martial law declaration triggered political chaos, disrupted governance and international relations, and unsettled financial markets. Stability returned only after his rival, Lee Jae Myung, secured victory in a June 2025 special presidential election.

Yoon is also challenging a 30-year sentence in another case, where prosecutors allege he authorized drone operations in 2024 to escalate tensions with North Korea and justify martial law domestically. His legal team contends the missions were responses to North Korean propaganda balloons.

Source link