South Korean Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty for Yoon in Martial Law Appeal

Former president faces renewed push for capital punishment while appealing life term for insurrection.

Published On 29 Oct 202629 Oct 2026

South Korean prosecutors are pushing for the death penalty against former President Yoon Suk-yeol over his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law.

Led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, the prosecution team repeated its demand during a Thursday appeal hearing in Seoul, contending that Yoon’s actions endangered South Korean democracy.

Yoon received a life sentence in February following his conviction for leading an insurrection.

Prosecutors had originally sought capital punishment during Yoon’s trial in January, though the court handed down a life sentence the following month.

During the Seoul High Court hearing on Thursday, a prosecutor stated there was “no reason to hesitate” in imposing the death penalty, according to Yonhap News Agency.

South Korea maintains the death penalty on its books but has not carried out an execution since 1997.

Prosecutors argued that this lengthy hiatus should not prevent judges from sentencing Yoon to death.

Yoon declared martial law on December 3, 2024, deploying soldiers and police to the National Assembly, South Korea’s parliament.

Lawmakers breached a security blockade to vote down the measure, forcing the government to withdraw it about six hours after it was announced.

The lower court determined that Yoon had tried to stop parliament from functioning, detain political opponents and remain in control of the country for an extended period.

Yoon’s lawyers told reporters on Thursday that he had intended to warn an opposition-controlled parliament against what he considered attempts to obstruct his government, not to establish authoritarian rule.

Addressing the Seoul High Court on October 27, Yoon denied seeking to establish a long-term dictatorship, according to the Hankyoreh newspaper.

The crisis prompted parliament to impeach Yoon in December 2024. South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which rules on whether to uphold impeachments, removed him from office in April 2025.

The appeals court has scheduled two additional hearings, including Yoon’s final statement on November 5.

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