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South Korea’s Ex‑President Yoon Faces First Martial‑Law Verdict Jan 16 and Sentencing Friday

Updated (7 articles)

Verdict and sentencing dates confirmed by Seoul court The Seoul Central District Court scheduled the first martial‑law verdict for 2 p.m. on January 16, with a live broadcast approved for public viewing[1]. A sentencing hearing on the same obstruction charge will follow at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 17, also televised[2][3]. These proceedings mark the inaugural decision among eight criminal cases linked to Yoon’s December 2024 martial‑law attempt.

Charges center on obstruction and cabinet‑member rights violations Prosecutors allege Yoon ordered the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from detaining him in January 2024 and infringed the rights of nine cabinet members who were excluded from reviewing the martial‑law plan[1][2]. He is further accused of drafting a revised proclamation after the decree was lifted and then destroying it, as well as issuing false statements to foreign media and erasing secure‑phone records[1]. The legal theory frames these acts as “special obstruction of public duty.”

Prosecution seeks ten‑year term and death penalty Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s team requested a ten‑year prison sentence for the obstruction charge, arguing Yoon privatized a national agency to hide his actions[1][2]. For the separate insurrection count, prosecutors have asked the court to impose the death penalty, emphasizing the gravity of attempting a coup[1][3]. The death‑penalty request underscores the prosecution’s view of the martial‑law declaration as an act of insurrection.

Yoon defends security actions; other cases linger In closing statements, Yoon defended the use of the Presidential Security Service, claiming presidential protection cannot be “too excessive” regardless of circumstances[2][3]. Beyond the obstruction trial, six additional investigations involve alleged corruption by his wife, Kim Keon‑Hee, and alleged interference in a 2023 Marine death probe[2][3]. These parallel cases compound the legal pressure on the former president.

Sources

Timeline

Dec 2024 – Yoon Suk‑yeol declares martial law, a move later deemed an illegal attempt to overturn constitutional order and the trigger for multiple criminal investigations [1][2].

Jan 2025 – Prosecutors allege Yoon orders the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from detaining him, violating the rights of nine cabinet members who were not summoned to review the martial‑law plan [1][4].

Dec 26 2025 – Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk submits a 10‑year prison recommendation, describing Yoon’s actions as “a grave crime by privatizing state institutions to conceal and justify his acts” [4].

Dec 26 2025 – The prosecution also seeks the death penalty for the insurrection charge, urging the court to impose the ultimate sanction for “leading an attempt to overthrow state authority” [1].

Dec 26 2025 – Yoon rejects all accusations, claiming he “never obstructed presidential security” and accusing the opposition Democratic Party of “paralysis and attempts to derail constitutional order” [4].

Dec 26 2025 – The judge denies Yoon’s request to postpone the obstruction verdict until after the insurrection trial, keeping the January 16 deadline [7].

Jan 15 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court schedules the first sentencing hearing at 2 p.m., authorizing a live broadcast as “the third time a former president’s trial is shown live” [1].

Jan 15 2026 – In closing statements, Yoon defends his use of the Presidential Security Service, asserting that “presidential security cannot be too excessive, no matter the extent” [2].

Jan 16 2026 – The court delivers its verdict on the obstruction‑of‑public‑duty case at 2 p.m., concluding the first of eight trials linked to the martial‑law bid [1].

Jan 16 2026 – The ruling arrives two days before Yoon’s arrest authorization is set to expire on Jan 18, heightening pressure on the legal process [7].

Feb 19 2026 – A separate bench of the same court is slated to announce the verdict on the insurrection charge, which prosecutors have pushed to carry the death penalty [1][2].

2026 onward – Yoon remains subject to six additional cases—including alleged corruption involving his wife, Kim Keon‑hee, and interference in a 2023 Marine death probe—awaiting outcomes in parallel courts [2][3].

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