- Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice, with prosecutors also seeking the death penalty in a separate incitement case.
South Korea’s former President, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled on Friday that the 65-year-old former leader, with the support of the presidential security service, attempted to block his arrest and ordered the destruction of documents connected to the investigation against him.
Yoon had earlier thrown the country into political turmoil on December 3, 2024, when he declared martial law amid a tense budget standoff with the opposition. The move shocked citizens and sparked a major political crisis nationwide.
He defended the declaration at the time, insisting it was necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order. Yoon accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists allegedly linked to China and North Korea, claims he failed to back with evidence.
In a separate trial, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty over charges of incitement. A verdict in that case is expected on February 19. While capital punishment remains legal in South Korea, executions have not been carried out in nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions also rattled international investors, leading to stalled investments and damaging South Korea’s reputation as a politically and economically stable nation.
Since last summer, the country has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon.
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