South Korean Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty for Former President Yoon Over Martial Law Decree

Yoon, 65, said in his final 90-minute statement to the court that the president’s right to call for a state of emergency cannot constitute an insurrection.

South Korean ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of orchestrating a rebellion when he declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, arrives to attend his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, on May 12, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo

South Korea’s special council on Jan. 13 demanded the death penalty for the country’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his failed imposition of martial law in December 2024.

A member of special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team made the request during the final hearing of Yoon’s trial at Seoul Central District Court.