A court in South Korea is expected to deliver its verdict in the high-profile insurrection trial of impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol, in a case that has gripped the nation for months.
Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty, accusing Yoon of orchestrating the dramatic December 2024 attempt to impose military rule.
They argue that the former leader masterminded the move, which they say amounted to an assault on the country’s constitutional order.
Although capital punishment remains on the statute books, South Korea has not carried out an execution in decades, meaning a death sentence would, in practice, translate to life imprisonment.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law lasted only six hours before it was reversed, but the political shockwaves were immediate and far-reaching. The move effectively paralysed what remained of his administration and contributed to his party’s defeat in the subsequent election.
The episode has left the country deeply divided. That divide was visible again on the day of the ruling, as groups of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse to demonstrate in his favour.
Yoon is already serving a prison term following a separate conviction related to the failed martial law order. In addition to the insurrection case, he faces two further trials, extending the legal battles that continue to shape South Korea’s political landscape.
