Court Set to Rule on Insurrection Case Against Former South Korean President

By Blessing Nweke

A court in Seoul is set to deliver a landmark verdict Thursday in the insurrection trial of impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who could face the death penalty if convicted over his failed attempt to impose martial law.

The ruling, to be handed down by a three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court, will be broadcast live nationwide. Yoon, 65, has pleaded not guilty to insurrection, the most serious charge stemming from his controversial December 2024 decree that briefly suspended civilian government and banned political activity.

Prosecutors argue the martial law order was a calculated effort to extend Yoon’s rule in violation of the constitution, describing it as a long-planned power grab. If convicted, Yoon faces a minimum sentence of life in prison, though prosecutors have requested capital punishment.

The court is also expected to rule on several officials accused of assisting the decree, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, with prosecutors seeking prison terms ranging from 10 years to life.

Yoon’s order — the first martial law declaration in South Korea in more than four decades — triggered political turmoil. Lawmakers forced their way into the National Assembly of South Korea and unanimously voted to block the measure, prompting Yoon to lift it roughly six hours later.

He was impeached days afterward and arrested in January 2025, becoming the country’s first sitting president taken into custody. The impeachment was later upheld by the Constitutional Court of Korea.

Now led by President Lee Jae Myung, the country awaits a decision that could mark one of the most consequential rulings in its democratic history. All verdicts remain subject to appeal.