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South Korea has sentenced impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years’ imprisonment, in the first of a series of cases related to his failed attempt to impose martial law.
The Seoul Central District Court on Friday found Yoon guilty of blocking arrest attempts, abuse of power and falsifying official documents. Judges acquitted him on one further charge of ordering officials to distribute documents with false claims to international media.
The court said Yoon had used security officials to “obstruct the lawful execution of warrants by investigative agencies or [attempt] to destroy evidence”.
“He abused his immense influence as president to turn public officials into his private army,” it added.
Yoon’s legal team said it intended to appeal against the ruling, which it denounced as “politicised”.
Friday’s verdict, the first in a series of eight trials against Yoon, stems from his emergency declaration on December 3 2024, which triggered one of South Korea’s most severe political crises in decades.
Facing legislative gridlock in the opposition-controlled parliament and corruption allegations against his wife, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon attempted to declare martial law, warning that “pro-North anti-state forces” were conspiring to bring about “national ruin”. He also allegedly ordered troops to arrest several political rivals.
His action triggered widespread protests, and the National Assembly rejected the martial law bid in an emergency vote, forcing Yoon to step down. Ten days later, he was impeached by parliament and removed from office, a decision upheld by Korea’s Constitutional Court last year.
His removal triggered a fresh presidential election, which was won by rival Lee Jae Myung, whom Yoon had defeated in 2022.
Following Yoon’s impeachment by parliament, Yoon holed himself up inside his fortified presidential compound for weeks. His security detail foiled one attempt by law enforcement to take him into custody before he was arrested in a dramatic pre-dawn raid.
Chung Tae-ho, a law professor at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, called the sentence “lenient”, adding that Yoon had “made a mockery of the rule of law”.
“Today’s sentence is viewed as a prelude to a charge of masterminding an insurrection by declaring martial law, allowing us to know to some extent the atmosphere in the judiciary,” he added.
Yoon is expected to face a ruling on insurrection, the most serious charge against him, on February 19. Prosecutors have requested the death penalty, citing the former president’s “lack of remorse”. He could also be sentenced to life imprisonment, with the possibility of labour.
Legal experts said it was unlikely a death penalty would be carried out, however. South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997.
Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a 1979 military coup and ordered a lethal crackdown on protesters in the city of Gwangju, was handed a death sentence in 1996, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. He was later pardoned by then-president Kim Dae-jung in the name of national unity.
Yoon is only the latest South Korean president whose term ended in scandal. Kim’s successor Roh Moo-hyun, under pressure from prosecutors investigating his family members, died by suicide in 2009.
Park Geun-hye, the daughter of former military leader Park Chung Hee, was convicted of corruption and abuse of power in 2017 and removed from office. Her predecessor Lee Myung-bak, who was also jailed on corruption charges, was pardoned by Yoon in 2022.
Additional reporting by Kang Buseong
