Seoul (South Korea), Feb. 19 (LaPresse) – Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol arrived Thursday at a Seoul court to await the verdict on the rebellion charge related to his brief attempt to impose martial law. This is the most serious accusation the ousted leader faces after triggering the country’s most severe political crisis in decades by declaring martial law and sending troops to surround the parliament on December 3, 2024.
A special prosecutor has requested the death penalty for Yoon, claiming his actions represented a threat to the country’s democracy and deserve the harshest possible punishment. Most analysts have predicted life imprisonment for Yoon, as his poorly planned power grab caused no casualties. South Korea has not carried out a death sentence since 1997, in what is widely considered a de facto moratorium on capital punishment, amid calls for abolition.
The verdict and sentencing by Judge Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court are expected today. Upon Yoon’s arrival at the court, hundreds of police officers closely monitored Yoon’s supporters who had gathered outside the judicial complex, whose shouting grew louder as the bus carrying him passed. Critics of Yoon gathered nearby, demanding the death penalty. The Seoul court will also rule on cases involving seven former military and police officials accused of enforcing Yoon’s martial law decree, including his former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun.