Seoul Central District Court on Friday (January 16) handed down a verdict for former President Yoon Suk-yul on some of the charges related to the declaration of martial law at the end of 2024, sentencing him to 5 years in prison.
This is the first verdict issued by the court in several criminal trials related to the martial law controversy. The court ruled that Yoon Suk-yul was guilty of abusing his power to obstruct the constitutional functions of the cabinet, impeding the execution of arrest warrants, and forging and destroying public documents.
According to the verdict, on January 3, 2025, Yoon Suk-yul mobilized Presidential Security Service (PSS) personnel to obstruct the “Senior Public Officials Crime Investigation Office” (CIO) from executing an arrest warrant at the presidential residence, constituting aggravated obstruction of official duties.
During the sentencing, the judge stated, “The defendant had a duty to defend the constitution and laws but deviated from them.”
The judge further stated that Yoon Suk-yul’s actions led the country into a political crisis and that he “never showed remorse” throughout the trial process.
The special prosecutor sought a 10-year prison term on the grounds of “privatizing state institutions” to conceal improper behavior, but the court ultimately decided on a 5-year sentence.
Yoon Suk-yul has not immediately responded to the verdict. However, his defense team previously accused the prosecution of having political motives and lacking legal basis, claiming they had no right to demand such an “excessive” sentence.
Yoon Suk-yul himself denied all charges during the trial. He argued that the initial arrest warrant was invalid and that there were no procedural flaws in the issuance of the martial law decree.
Regarding the motive for martial law, Yoon Suk-yul asserted that his intention was not for long-term rule but to caution the public about the dangers posed by a parliament controlled by liberals obstructing the governance.
The court specifically mentioned in the verdict that on December 3, 2024, when the martial law decree was announced, Yoon Suk-yul only convened some cabinet members and deliberately excluded seven incumbent ministers from the meeting. The court deemed this act as a violation of the constitutional deliberation rights of the ministers.
Additionally, the court found that Yoon Suk-yul had collaborated with former Prime Minister Han Deok-soo and former Defense Minister Kim Ryong-hyun in falsifying martial law-related documents and subsequently destroying them.
On the day of the verdict, around a hundred supporters gathered outside the court, waving national flags and holding up banners with the inscription “Yoon Suk-yul, rise again! Make Korea great again” in protest.
According to a poll conducted in December last year, nearly 30% of South Koreans still do not consider the martial law actions as constituting insurrection, reflecting deep divisions in society over the incident.
This verdict is only the beginning of Yoon Suk-yul’s multiple trials.
He still faces other charges, including the charge of “insurrection,” with the prosecution seeking the death penalty for this particular charge, and the case is expected to be decided in February this year.
According to legal regulations, both the prosecution and defense can appeal the verdict issued on Friday within 7 days.