South Korean Court Considers Death Penalty for Ex-President Yoon Seok-yeol

A South Korean court held hearings on Tuesday regarding the potential death penalty for former President Yoon Seok-yeol. Prosecutors allege that Yoon orchestrated a rebellion by imposing martial law in December 2024, which sparked significant controversy.

During the proceedings, independent attorney Cho Eun-sook requested that the Seoul Central District Court impose a serious sentence, labeling Yoon’s actions as “anti-national activities” and referring to it as a “self-coup.”

Yoon, a conservative figure who was ousted from his position last spring, remains in custody facing numerous criminal charges associated with his declaration of martial law, among other scandals. Prosecutors have indicated that sedition may be the most severe charge he faces.

Cho’s legal team contended in court that Yoon’s intention was to maintain power by undermining South Korea’s constitutional governance. Meanwhile, Yoon denied the accusations, claiming the investigation was excessively aggressive and marked by “manipulation” and “distortion.”

He argued that his martial law declaration was meant to alert the public about what he views as a significant threat from the opposition Democratic Party, which he believes aims to leverage its parliamentary majority to obstruct his political goals.

Yoon maintained that the use of emergency powers by a president cannot legally be equated with insurrection. The court is expected to render a decision next month. Legal analysts suggest that a life sentence is more probable than the death penalty, especially considering South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997.

If the court finds against Yoon, he would become the first former president in South Korea to face a potential death penalty since Chun Doo-hwan, who was sentenced to death in 1996 but had his sentence commuted later.