A Seoul court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years for obstructing his arrest after his failed 2024 martial law declaration.
SEOUL: A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on Friday.
The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of obstruction of justice and destroying evidence related to his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.
He was convicted of mobilising the presidential security service to block authorities from executing a legally issued arrest warrant.
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The court also found him guilty of fabricating official documents and failing to follow the legal process for declaring martial law.
This ruling is the first related to the criminal charges Yoon faces over the botched martial law decree.
“The defendant abused his enormous influence as president to prevent the execution of legitimate warrants,” the lead judge said.
Speaking outside the court, one of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoo Jung-hwa, said the former president would appeal.
“We express regret that the decision was made in a politicised manner,” she said.
Yoon faces a separate trial where he could receive the death sentence for masterminding an insurrection.
He has argued declaring martial law was within his presidential powers to counter opposition obstruction.
Yoon denied Friday’s charges, for which he could have faced up to 10 years in prison.
The obstruction charges stem from when he barricaded himself inside his compound in January last year.
He ordered the security service to block investigators attempting to arrest him.
Yoon was finally arrested in a second attempt involving more than 3,000 police officers.
His arrest was the first ever for a sitting president in South Korea.
Parliament voted within hours to overturn his surprise martial law decree and later impeached him.
He was removed from office in April last year by the Constitutional Court.
The court ruled he violated the duties of his office.
Yoon’s bid to impose martial law lasted only about six hours.
It sent shockwaves through South Korea, a key U.S. security ally and major Asian economy.
The nation has long been considered one of the world’s most resilient democracies. – Reuters
