Seoul Court Convicts Ex‑President Yoon of Insurrection, Death‑Penalty Recommendation Pending
Updated (3 articles)
Seoul Central District Court Issues Insurrection Conviction On 19 February 2026, the Seoul Central District Court found former President Yoon Suk‑Yeol guilty of orchestrating an insurrection linked to his 2024 effort to impose martial law [1]. The ruling marks the first judicial determination that Yoon deliberately attempted to subvert democratic processes [1]. Prosecutors presented a comprehensive case showing Yoon’s intent to use force against the National Assembly [1].
Prosecutors Detail Planned Military Deployment to Parliament Special prosecutors argued Yoon planned to dispatch troops into the parliamentary compound after declaring martial law, aiming to cripple the National Assembly’s legislative functions [1]. Evidence included communications ordering soldiers to occupy the building and instructions to suspend parliamentary sessions [1]. The court accepted this evidence as the basis for the insurrection charge [1].
Death‑Penalty Recommendation Remains Unresolved Although the conviction is final, the court has not yet imposed a sentence [1]. Prosecutors have urged the judge to apply the death penalty, citing the severity of Yoon’s actions [1]. The sentencing decision, expected in the coming weeks, will determine whether the recommendation is accepted [1].
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Timeline
1996 – South Korean courts consider a death‑penalty request against former dictator Chun Doo‑hwan and a life‑imprisonment sentence for Roh Tae‑woo, both later commuted and pardoned, establishing a precedent for severe punishment in political insurrection cases [3].
1997 – South Korea carries out its last execution, creating a de facto moratorium on capital punishment that shapes contemporary debates over the death penalty [3].
Dec 3, 2024 – President Yoon Suk Yeol declares a state‑of‑emergency martial law, orders troops into the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, and frames the move as a necessary response to “anti‑state forces,” a decision later deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in its impeachment ruling [2][3].
Early 2025 – The Constitutional Court upholds the unconstitutionality of Yoon’s deployment of forces to the National Election Commission, reinforcing the legal basis for impeachment proceedings and a subsequent change in political leadership [2].
Dec 2025 – Yoon expresses regret to senior officers at a military court for the events surrounding the martial law declaration, yet he does not apologize for the decree, describing it as “a warning to a paralyzed legislature” [2].
Jan 13, 2026 – At a sentencing hearing in Seoul Central District Court, prosecutors argue Yoon “led an insurrection” and request the death penalty, emphasizing that the Dec 3, 2024 martial‑law breach “violated the Constitution” and that the charge allows only death, life imprisonment, or life without parole [2].
Jan 14, 2026 – Independent counsel files a formal death‑penalty request in Yoon’s insurrection case, citing the 406‑day gap since the martial‑law declaration and invoking the 1996 Chun/Roh precedent to argue for the harshest punishment, noting that no executions have occurred in Korea since 1997 [3].
Jan 14, 2026 – Prosecutors reiterate that Yoon’s claim the martial law was “a legitimate act beyond judicial review” is false, stating “there was no intent to subvert the constitutional order” and labeling the defense as “sophistry” [2].
Feb 19, 2026 – Seoul Central District Court convicts former President Yoon Suk Yeol of insurrection, finding he deliberately aimed to undermine democratic institutions by planning to send troops into the parliamentary compound after declaring martial law; sentencing remains pending, with prosecutors urging a death‑penalty verdict [1].