Former South Korean President Sentenced to Life for Insurrection

Yoon Suk Yeol previously told the court it was within presidential powers to call for a state of emergency and that doing so cannot constitute an insurrection.

South Korea's former impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at a court in Seoul, South Korea, on July 9, 2025. Kim Hong-Ji/AFP via Getty Images

A court on Feb. 19 found former South Korean President Yoon Sook Yeol guilty on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating an insurrection in relation to his failed attempt at imposing martial law in December 2024.

Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon, 65, to life imprisonment. He is likely to stay at the Seoul Detention Center, the prison where he has been detained.