SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – A South Korean appeals court sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison on Wednesday for multiple offenses, including resisting arrest and bypassing a legitimate Cabinet meeting prior to his controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024. The court's decision adds to a previous life sentence Yoon received on rebellion charges, which stem from his authoritarian actions that destabilized the nation's democratic framework.
Judge Yoon Sung-sik of the Seoul High Court stated that the former conservative president engaged in serious misconduct, including bypassing a legally required full Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law, and falsifying documents to cover up this violation. Furthermore, he was found to have utilized security officials "like a private army" to thwart law enforcement attempts to arrest him following his impeachment. Upon hearing the verdict, Yoon remained silent and did not respond.
Initially, a lower court had sentenced Yoon to five years in imprisonment in January but had partially absolved him of abuse-of-power charges related to the Cabinet meeting, concluding that he could not be held liable for the absence of two invited members. However, the Seoul High Court overturned this acquittal, ruling Yoon guilty on all charges and determining that he infringed upon the rights of those members, as well as seven other Cabinet officials who were not notified, by only convening a select few to feign a legitimate meeting.
Yoon's declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, although brief, plunged the country into a significant political crisis. This decree disrupted political stability, complicated high-level diplomatic engagements, and unsettled financial markets. Political unrest persisted until his liberal opponent, Lee Jae Myung, emerged victorious in an early presidential election held in June, bringing the turmoil to a close.
The former president faced suspension from office on December 14, 2024, after being impeached by a liberal-dominated legislature. Following this, he was formally removed from the presidency by the Constitutional Court in April 2025. His defiance continued as he refused to comply with a detention warrant issued by a Seoul court, leading to a confrontation where dozens of investigators were blocked from entering the presidential residence by his security forces and barricades in early January 2025.
Eventually, Yoon was detained later in January 2025, released in March by another court, but re-arrested in July. He has remained in custody since, as a series of ongoing criminal trials continue to unfold. The ongoing legal challenges and public scrutiny have significantly affected South Korea’s political landscape, revealing deep divides and polarizations among its citizenry.
