South Korea Jails Former President Yoon Suk Yeol for Five Years Over Martial Law Crisis
Story: written by Myra January 16,2026
A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years behind bars after finding him guilty of obstruction of justice and related offences stemming from his controversial declaration of martial law and the chaos that followed.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, marks the first in a series of expected judgments against the disgraced former leader. Yoon’s short-lived suspension of civilian governance on December 3, 2024, sparked nationwide protests and triggered a fierce confrontation in South Korea’s parliament.
Following his removal from office, Yoon has been facing multiple trials connected to decisions taken during the martial law episode and the political turmoil that ensued.
Presiding judge Baek Dae-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Yoon deliberately interfered with the work of investigators by preventing efforts to detain him. The court also found that he unlawfully sidelined cabinet members from key meetings where the martial law plan was discussed.
Judge Baek faulted the former president for failing in his constitutional responsibilities, stating that Yoon showed clear disregard for the nation’s supreme law despite his obligation to protect it.
Describing the offence as serious, the court noted that Yoon’s actions carried significant consequences for democratic order. However, the judge cleared him of charges relating to the falsification of official documents, citing insufficient evidence.
Yoon has been granted seven days to file an appeal against the judgment. Prosecutors had earlier sought a 10-year prison sentence, while the former president maintained throughout the trial that he committed no wrongdoing.
