Former President Yoon Appeals Life Sentence After Court Convicts Him of Insurrection

Updated 2026-02-24 02:16:00+00:00 (73 articles)

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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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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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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (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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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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South Korea's former president has been sentenced to life in prison for his failed insurrection - but the democratic country remains divided (AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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South Korea's former president has been sentenced to life in prison for his failed insurrection - but the democratic country remains divided (AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
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Yoon's (centre) declaration of martial law failed within hours, with South Koreans taking to the streets to protest (AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
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The then-president had deployed the military to crack down on protesters (Getty Images) Source Full size
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Lawmakers also voted unanimously to strike down the martial law attempt (Pictured: Opposition lawmakers holding placards reading "Yoon Suk Yeol should resign!") (AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
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Some who gathered outside the National Assembly that night were motivated by memories of South Korea before democracy (Getty Images) Source Full size
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Yoon's insurrection attempt deeply divided South Korea and further polarised its politics (Getty Images) 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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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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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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(URGENT) Court sentences ex-President Yoon to life imprisonment over martial law bid - 1 Source Full size
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Former President Yoon Suk Yeol (Yonhap) Source Full size
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The insurrection trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol is held at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Jan. 9, 2026, in this photo provided by the court. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) Source Full size

Yoon Files Appeal Against Life Sentence Yoon’s legal team lodged an appeal on 24 February 2026, five days after the Seoul Central District Court imposed a life‑prison term for insurrection linked to his Dec 3 2024 martial‑law decree [1]. The appeal follows a separate five‑year term for obstructing investigators, which Yoon is already serving [1]. Co‑defendants—including former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun (30 years), former National Police Agency chief Cho Ji‑ho (12 years), and former Seoul police chief Kim Bong‑sik (10 years)—received lengthy sentences in the same ruling [1][6].

Six‑Hour Martial Law Triggered Impeachment and Arrest On 3 December 2024 Yoon announced martial law, alleging “anti‑state forces” and ordering troops to the National Assembly [2][3][8]. Lawmakers stormed the parliament, sealed the doors, and unanimously voted to overturn the decree within six hours [2][3]. The National Assembly’s resistance led to Yoon’s impeachment on 14 December 2024 and his arrest on 3 January 2025 after a brief confinement in the presidential residence [2][12].

Court Characterized Troop Deployment as Insurrection The court held that Yoon’s order to send troops to block the Assembly satisfied the constitutional definition of insurrection, rejecting his “warning‑and‑appeal‑type” defense [6][11][13]. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but judges cited limited pre‑meditation, minimal violence, and Yoon’s age as mitigating factors, opting for life imprisonment [6][10][16]. The judgment emphasized the episode’s severe diplomatic and societal damage, marking the harshest penalty ever imposed on a South Korean civilian head of state [6][7][13].

Public Outcry and Political Reactions Intensify Roughly 1,000 Yoon supporters assembled outside the court demanding his release, while left‑leaning Candlelight Action rallied to applaud the verdict; police deployed about 1,000 officers to avert clashes [9]. Assembly Speaker Woo Won‑shik urged Yoon to apologize, and Yoon issued a statement expressing regret for public suffering while insisting the decree was meant to protect the nation [4][5][14]. Conservative figures condemned the ruling as politically motivated, whereas the Democratic Party criticized the life sentence as too lenient [9][14].

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Timeline

July 2024 – Yoon Suk Yeol is re‑arrested after a court cancels an earlier detention order, marking the first time a sitting South Korean president faces physical custody for alleged misconduct [18].

Dec 3 2024 – Yoon declares martial law, ordering troops and police to seal off the National Assembly and accusing opposition lawmakers of “anti‑state” collusion with North Korea; the decree lasts six hours before lawmakers storm the parliament and overturn it [5][8][19].

Dec 14 2024 – The National Assembly impeaches Yoon unanimously, triggering a constitutional crisis and setting the stage for his removal [1][11].

Jan 3 2025 – After two‑and‑a‑half weeks of house arrest, Yoon is formally arrested and transferred to a detention facility [1].

Apr 2025 – South Korea’s Constitutional Court officially removes Yoon from office, ending his presidency and paving the way for a snap election [18].

Jan 2025 – A riot erupts at the Seoul Western District Court during earlier protests, prompting authorities to deploy roughly 1,000 police for the February 2026 verdict hearings [9].

Early 2025 – Lee Jae‑Myung wins the snap presidential election, while independent counsels expand investigations into Yoon’s circle, citing “rising authoritarianism” worldwide [18].

1980 – The 2024 martial‑law attempt becomes the first imposition of martial law in 44 years, the previous one occurring under dictator Chun Doo‑hwan, whose 1996 death‑penalty sentence later commutes to life [5][11].

1997 – South Korea’s de facto moratorium on executions remains in place, meaning the death penalty sought by prosecutors would be unlikely to be carried out [1][4][19][20].

Jan 13 2026 – Prosecutors close arguments and request the death penalty for Yoon, labeling him the “ringleader of an insurrection” and arguing there are no mitigating circumstances [4][19][20].

Jan 15 2026 – The court schedules Yoon’s first verdict on martial‑law‑related charges, noting eight separate trials will address abuses of power, insurrection and campaign‑law violations [2].

Jan 16 2026 – A Seoul court convicts Yoon of abuse of power, obstruction of justice and falsifying documents, sentencing him to five years—the first verdict among his four related trials [3][16].

Jan 16 2026 – In a separate ruling, the court hands Yoon a five‑year prison term for obstruction of justice tied to his attempt to block investigators, while prosecutors had sought a 10‑year term [15][16].

Jan 17 2026 – Media report the five‑year obstruction sentence, emphasizing that the court declares Yoon’s martial‑law decree illegal for the first time [15].

Jan 21‑22 2026 – Former Prime Minister Han Duck‑soo receives a 23‑year rebellion sentence for legitimizing the martial‑law decree, highlighting the judiciary’s sweeping crackdown on Yoon’s aides [13][14].

Jan 26 2026 – Former Justice Minister Park Sung‑jae denies all insurrection charges, claiming he opposed the martial‑law decree and expresses “profound remorse” for the constitutional confusion [12].

Feb 19 2026 – A Seoul court sentences Yoon to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection, noting his order to send troops to the National Assembly aimed to “paralyze” the legislature; co‑defendants receive 30‑year, 12‑year and 10‑year terms [5][8][9][10][11].

Feb 20 2026 – Yoon issues a public apology, saying he “deeply regrets the despair caused” while insisting the decree was solely to protect the nation, and he calls it “difficult to accept the logic that troops going to the National Assembly amounted to insurrection” [7].

Feb 21 2026 – Analysts note the life sentence revives memories of Chun Doo‑hwan’s 1980s military rule, underscoring the historical rarity of such severe punishment for a civilian leader [5].

Feb 22 2026 – International observers cite the case as a test of democratic safeguards; Gi‑Wook Shin of Stanford’s Korea program tells the BBC the episode “offers a rare example of democratic resilience” [1].

Feb 24 2026 – Yoon’s lawyers file an appeal against the life‑prison verdict, arguing the ruling is “politically motivated” and that the court’s decision is “overzealous” [6].

Future (pending) – Yoon’s appeal will be heard by the Seoul Central District Court, with a decision expected later in 2026, while co‑defendants’ sentences remain subject to separate appeals [6].

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