A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for obstructing authorities’ attempts to arrest him following his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The ruling marks the first criminal conviction related to Yoon’s controversial martial law declaration.
The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of using the presidential security service to prevent law enforcement from executing a legally issued arrest warrant. The warrant had been issued as part of an investigation into his December 2024 attempt to impose martial law, which many critics described as an unprecedented challenge to South Korea’s democratic institutions.
In televised proceedings, Yoon was also found guilty of fabricating official documents and failing to comply with the legal procedures required to declare martial law. The three-judge panel emphasized that the former president had abused his office.
“The defendant abused his enormous influence as president to prevent the execution of legitimate warrants through officials from the Security Service, which effectively privatized officials loyal to the Republic of Korea for personal safety and personal gain,” the lead judge said.
The decision triggered immediate responses from both Yoon’s legal team and political observers. Speaking outside the courthouse, Yoon’s lawyer, Yoo Jung-hwa, said the former president would appeal the ruling. “We express regret that the decision was made in a politicized manner,” she said, adding that Yoon had acted within his presidential powers.
Yoon’s legal challenges, however, extend beyond the obstruction charges. He faces separate trials over allegations that he orchestrated an insurrection by declaring martial law without justification. In that case, he could potentially face the death penalty under South Korean law.
The former president has defended his actions, claiming that the martial law declaration was within his constitutional authority and intended to sound the alarm over alleged obstruction by opposition parties. Nonetheless, the declaration lasted only about six hours before Parliament, including members of Yoon’s own conservative party, voted to overturn it. Following the parliamentary vote, Yoon was impeached and had his powers suspended.
Yoon’s removal from office was finalized in April 2025 when the Constitutional Court ruled that he had violated the duties of his office. His brief martial law bid, which involved barricading himself inside his residential compound and ordering the security service to block investigators, provoked a national crisis and unprecedented public attention.
Authorities had to mobilize over 3,000 police officers for a second attempt to arrest Yoon, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. The incident drew widespread international attention, raising concerns about political stability in one of Asia’s most advanced democracies.
The court’s ruling also underscores the resilience of South Korea’s legal system and democratic institutions. Despite the extraordinary nature of Yoon’s actions, judicial authorities pursued the case, signaling that no individual is above the law. Legal analysts noted that the sentence of five years, while severe, reflects the gravity of obstructing justice at the highest levels of government.
South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a critical U.S. security ally, has long been viewed as a stable democracy. Yet, Yoon’s six-hour martial law attempt rattled both domestic and international observers, raising fears of political instability in a country that has experienced rapid economic growth and democratic consolidation over the past decades.
Observers say the case could have lasting political implications, potentially reshaping the landscape for South Korea’s conservative parties and raising broader questions about presidential authority and accountability. As Yoon pursues appeals, the nation faces ongoing debates over executive power, civil-military relations, and the limits of presidential discretion in extraordinary circumstances.
