Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a South Korean court for leading an insurrection with his martial law declaration in December 2024. The court found Yoon guilty of sending troops to the National Assembly to silence political opponents and paralyzing the legislative body.

Yoon, 65, had argued that he acted to safeguard freedom and restore constitutional order, but the court disagreed, citing the enormous social costs of his actions. The prosecution had sought the death penalty, but the court imposed a life sentence, considering various factors, including Yoon’s lack of prior criminal record.

The verdict marks a significant fall from grace for Yoon, who rose to power as an anti-corruption crusader but was later impeached and removed from office. His wife, Kim Keon Hee, was previously sentenced to 20 months in jail for unrelated bribery charges.