Former South Korean President Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Plotting Rebellion

A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to life imprisonment on charges of “plotting a rebellion” following a failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The verdict came after the court found him guilty of declaring a state of emergency and engaging in actions contrary to the constitution.

According to international media reports, prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but the court ultimately issued a life sentence. The decision was made after a thorough legal review of his actions in declaring martial law.

Yoon Suk-yeol is the first elected South Korean president to face such a sentence on charges of plotting a rebellion, a development that has sparked widespread political repercussions in the country.

Previously, South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed him from office in April of the previous year due to his declaration of a state of emergency. At that time, his imposition of martial law was deemed unconstitutional, setting the stage for the ongoing legal proceedings and the eventual life sentence.