Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced to Life for Insurrection

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment by a South Korean court for leading an insurrection in December 2024. Yoon, alongside then-defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, attempted to impose martial law, incurring significant social costs and causing a national crisis. This event sent shockwaves through the nation.

In a highly consequential verdict, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating an insurrection attempt in December 2024. The court found Yoon guilty of plotting with his then-defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, to deploy troops and impose martial law, a decision that led to widespread social upheaval in the country.

Presiding Judge Jee Kui-youn delivered the sentence in a packed courtroom, citing the deployment of armed forces to parliament as an act of insurrection, fulfilling the criteria for the country's harshest penalties under the law. Yoon, visibly distressed, was sentenced alongside Kim, who received a 30-year term, and several other former top officials.

The verdict has deeply impacted the nation's political landscape, with Yoon's defence team planning to appeal. Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung praised the public's peaceful resistance against martial law, which some suggest merits a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. The case remains pivotal in South Korea's democratic journey.

(With inputs from agencies.)