South Korean Ex‑President Yoon Suk‑Yeol Sentenced to Life After Six‑Hour Martial‑Law Crisis

Updated 2026-02-21 23:00:34+00:00 (149 articles)

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In this Dec. 24, 2025, file photo, presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon speaks during a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Jeon Han-gil, a former Korean history instructor and a vocal supporter of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, speaks at a rally in support of the former president near the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026, on the day of Yoon's sentencing hearing on charges of leading an insurrection. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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(URGENT) Court sentences ex-President Yoon to life imprisonment over martial law bid - 1 Source Full size
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National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik (C) speaks to reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026, after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment for his failed bid to impose martial law in 2024. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside of Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, February 19, 2026. Source Full size
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Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside of Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, February 19, 2026. Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Jeon Han-gil, a former Korean history instructor and a vocal supporter of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, speaks at a rally in support of the former president near the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026, on the day of Yoon's sentencing hearing on charges of leading an insurrection. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Participants of a rally calling for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's conviction chant slogans near the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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A TV screen at Seoul Station in the capital on Feb. 19, 2026, shows a broadcast of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection trial. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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Supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Feb. 19, 2026, to proclaim his innocence as Yoon is set to receive the first verdict at the court the same day on whether his 2024 imposition of martial law constituted an insurrection following special prosecutors' recommendation of the death penalty. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik (C) speaks to reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 19, 2026, after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment for his failed bid to impose martial law in 2024. (Yonhap) Source Full size
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(URGENT) Court sentences ex-President Yoon to life imprisonment over martial law bid - 1 Source Full size

Martial‑Law Decree and Immediate Political Fallout On 3 December 2024 Yoon Suk‑yeol announced a six‑hour martial‑law decree, ordering troops to the National Assembly and seizing a soldier’s rifle, actions that triggered a swift impeachment within 11 days and a dramatic storming of the parliament by lawmakers [1][8][12][14][18].

Court Conviction and Life Sentence Details The Seoul Central District Court delivered its first verdict on 19 February 2026, finding Yoon guilty of insurrection and imposing a life‑imprisonment term, a penalty chosen over the death‑penalty sought by prosecutors because of limited pre‑meditation and Yoon’s age [8][9][10][13][15][18][20]. Co‑defendants, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun, received sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, and Yoon remains incarcerated for a separate five‑year obstruction term [13][15].

Reactions Inside South Korea Approximately 1,000 Yoon supporters gathered outside the court, while left‑leaning Candlelight Action rallied for the conviction, highlighting divergent public responses [11]. Assembly Speaker Woo Won‑shik urged Yoon to apologize, and Yoon’s legal team denounced the ruling as procedurally flawed, calling the charge “a delusion” [5][6][16]. Yoon issued a public apology, expressing regret for the suffering caused while defending the decree as a national safeguard [5][6].

International Response The U.S. State Department, via email to Yonhap, stated that Yoon’s life sentence is a matter for South Korean courts and reaffirmed the “ironclad” U.S.–ROK alliance, emphasizing respect for Korean judicial independence [2][3].

Legal and Historical Context The sentencing revives memories of Chun Doo‑hwan’s 1980s military rule, marking the first time a former South Korean civilian president received a life term, while the death‑penalty moratorium since 1997 explains the court’s avoidance of capital punishment [1][14][17].

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Timeline

Before Oct 2023 – Independent counsel Cho Eun‑suk reports that President Yoon Suk‑yeol and senior military aides begin covert planning to suspend civilian rule, aiming to eliminate political rivals and monopolize power, with the scheme taking shape months before the eventual decree [24].

Dec 3 2024 – Yoon Suk‑yeol announces a six‑hour martial‑law decree, mobilising troops, sealing the National Assembly and ordering arrests of the speaker and opposition leaders, claiming he must protect the nation from “anti‑state forces” [30][4]; he later tells Yonhap, “I acted to fend off the wickedness that would ruin the nation” [3].

Dec 4 2024 (early hours) – Lawmakers storm the Assembly, vote at 1:01 a.m. to nullify the decree, and Yoon announces its termination at 4:27 a.m., ending the brief martial‑law episode [30].

Apr 2025 – The Constitutional Court unanimously upholds Yoon’s impeachment after 111 days, removing him from office and triggering a snap presidential election [30].

Jun 3 2025 – South Korea holds a snap election; opposition candidate Lee Jae‑Myung wins the presidency, inheriting the fallout from the martial‑law crisis [30].

Dec 1 2025 – Acting NPA Commissioner General Yoo Jae‑seong apologises to the nation, saying, “We apologize for the police actions that sealed off the National Assembly on Dec 3 2024,” acknowledging the breach of democratic order [26].

Dec 12 2025 – President Lee Jae‑Myung delivers a special address at the National Assembly commemorating the first anniversary of Yoon’s martial‑law declaration, stressing citizens’ role in restoring democracy and hosting a press conference with 80 foreign journalists [27][28][29].

Jan 13 2026 – Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s team files a death‑penalty request, labeling Yoon the “ringleader of an insurrection” who sought to seize control of the judiciary and legislature, and announces the court will rule on Feb 19 2026 [3][14][15][16].

Jan 15 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court schedules the first verdict in the eight‑trial martial‑law package, focusing on whether Yoon’s actions violated constitutional norms during a non‑war crisis [1].

Jan 16 2026 – The court convicts Yoon of abuse of power, obstruction of justice and falsifying documents, imposing a five‑year prison term; prosecutors had sought ten years and the death penalty for related insurrection charges [2][12][13].

Jan 18 2026 – A separate ruling finds Yoon guilty of obstructing law‑enforcement by mobilising state security forces to resist a court arrest warrant, reinforcing limits on presidential authority [11].

Jan 29‑31 2026 – Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back is slated to travel to Japan for talks with Shinjiro Koizumi, marking the first high‑level security dialogue since the martial‑law crisis [8].

Feb 19 2026 – Seoul Central District Court sentences Yoon to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection that attempted to paralyse the National Assembly; the judge notes Yoon’s intent to block parliamentary work and cites mitigating factors such as his age [5][7][6]; co‑defendants receive lengthy terms, including 30 years for former defence minister Kim Yong‑hyun [4][5][7].

Feb 21 2026 – A follow‑up ruling confirms Yoon’s life sentence as the harshest penalty ever imposed on a former South Korean head of state, reviving memories of Chun Doo‑hwan’s 1980 martial‑law era and underscoring the judiciary’s sweeping crackdown on the broader conspiracy [4].

Historical context – The 2024 decree marks the first imposition of martial law in 44 years, the previous instance occurring under Chun Doo‑hwan in 1980; South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997, and a 1996 death‑penalty sentence for Chun was later commuted [3]; former President Park Geun‑hye’s 2021 abuse‑of‑power conviction and subsequent pardon provide a precedent for presidential criminal liability [2].

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