On February 19, 2026, the Seoul Central District Court convicted former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol of orchestrating an insurrection and issued a life imprisonment sentence, falling short of capital punishment that prosecutors had requested. Judge Ji Gwi-yeon, who presided over the case, determined that Yoon’s decision to dispatch armed military personnel to the National Assembly and his efforts to detain political adversaries — including current President Lee Jae Myung — amounted to rebellious actions against the constitutional framework. The judgment was transmitted live throughout the country, prompting both backers and critics of Yoon to assemble in substantial numbers outside the court building.
The decision originated from Yoon’s proclamation of martial law on December 3, 2024, marking South Korea’s first such declaration in over forty years. During a late-night broadcast, Yoon charged the opposition Democratic Party with conducting “anti-state activities” and conspiring with “North Korean communists,” deploying armed military forces into downtown Seoul to encircle the National Assembly and penetrate election facilities. The proclamation endured merely six hours before being reversed. During that evening, 190 parliamentary members pushed through military blockades to approve an emergency resolution nullifying the order, with some lawmakers from Yoon’s own political party participating.
Parliament impeached Yoon on December 14, 2024, and the Constitutional Court voted unanimously to oust him from office on April 4, 2025, determining that the martial law proclamation breached the constitution and compromised democratic governance. Yoon became South Korea’s first incumbent president to be placed in custody in January 2025. He was temporarily freed that March following a court’s reversal of his detention mandate, but was apprehended once more in July 2025 and stayed in detention throughout his trial.
Prosecutors had requested the death penalty, contending that Yoon invested more than a year — starting in October 2023 — crafting the martial law scheme, positioning critical military commanders in tactical positions as preparation. They pointed to his total absence of remorse as a significant aggravating element, observing he never provided a sincere apology and persisted in faulting the opposition during proceedings. In his closing court declaration, Yoon categorically rejected all accusations, contending that proclaiming martial law was a legitimate use of presidential powers and that the opposition had incapacitated his government through interference and continuous impeachment attempts. South Korea has upheld a de facto suspension on executions since 1997, and the court eventually imposed a life sentence instead of capital punishment.
Convicted together with Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was given 30 years in prison for his pivotal involvement in orchestrating the declaration and deploying forces. Four additional former military and police personnel were handed sentences spanning three to 18 years. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo had previously been sentenced to 23 years in prison in a distinct judgment, becoming the first Yoon administration member convicted of insurrection offenses.
The insurrection conviction was not Yoon’s initial sentencing. On January 16, 2026, a Seoul court imposed a five-year prison term in the first of eight criminal proceedings, finding him guilty of resisting efforts to apprehend him, falsifying the martial law declaration, and circumventing a statutorily required full Cabinet session before announcing the decree. Yoon’s legal representatives said they would appeal that decision. He still confronts six more criminal proceedings, including one involving allegations that he commanded drone missions into North Korean territory to intentionally incite a conflict that could warrant martial law — a charge he denies.
Yoon’s wife, former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, was sentenced on January 28, 2026, to 20 months in prison after being convicted of receiving luxury bribes — including Chanel bags and a diamond pendant — from Unification Church representatives in return for political favors. She was cleared on the more severe charges of stock price manipulation and violations of the Political Funds Act due to insufficient evidence, though prosecutors declared intentions to appeal those acquittals. Prosecutors had initially requested a 15-year sentence.
Following Yoon’s ouster, Lee Jae Myung prevailed in a snap presidential election in June 2025 and took office. Lee, the former Democratic Party chairman who led Yoon’s impeachment campaign, designated three independent counsels to examine allegations concerning Yoon, his wife, and their affiliates. Those examinations have resulted in charges against over 120 political and military individuals. In a concise statement following the February 19 verdict, President Lee’s office stated it anticipated the courts to arrive at decisions founded in law, principles, and public expectations. Yoon maintains the right to appeal his life sentence, and his outstanding trials proceed.
