South Korea’s special prosecutor seeks 10-year jail term for Yoon Suk Yeol
South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a possible 10-year sentence after a special prosecutor team accused him of obstructing justice and undermining democratic institutions during his failed martial law bid in December 2024.
- South Korean special prosecutor team requests a 10-year sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over obstruction of justice and constitutional violations.
- Charges relate to Yoon’s failed martial law bid in December 2024, including suppression of investigators and destruction of records.
- Verdict is expected on 16 January 2025, days before Yoon’s pretrial release ends.
A South Korean special prosecutor team has requested a 10-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing obstruction of justice and other serious charges linked to his December 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
The sentencing demand, submitted on 20 December 2025, is the first in a series of trials surrounding the former leader’s failed military intervention.
At the final hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court, the team led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk stated that Yoon had committed “a grave crime” by “privatising state institutions” to justify and conceal his actions.
The charges against Yoon include obstructing justice by blocking investigators from detaining him in January, violating constitutional procedures by excluding nine Cabinet members from martial law discussions, and later revising and destroying a version of the martial law proclamation.
Further charges involve ordering the deletion of secure phone records from senior military officials and distributing false statements to the press about the declaration.
The prosecution is seeking five years’ imprisonment for obstructing his detention, three years for falsifying official communication and constitutional violations, and two years for tampering with martial law documentation.
“In order to restore the Constitution and legal principles damaged by the defendant, and to prevent future abuses of power at the highest levels of state, strict accountability is necessary,” said the prosecution.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict on 16 January 2025, just two days before Yoon’s temporary release expires.
His legal team had urged the court to delay the ruling until the conclusion of a separate trial on insurrection charges. That request was denied.
The insurrection trial, one of three other ongoing cases against Yoon, is likely to conclude in early January, with a verdict potentially arriving in February.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, entered politics in 2022 and narrowly won the presidency. He campaigned on principles of transparency and law enforcement, but his administration was soon mired in controversy.
On 3 December 2024, Yoon imposed martial law, citing threats from North Korea and so-called “anti-state elements”. However, political observers and legal experts argued the move was largely driven by domestic political pressure and personal scandal.
Parliament overturned the declaration and voted to impeach Yoon. He became the first sitting South Korean president to face criminal charges, and was removed from office later that month.
After a weeks-long stand-off with anti-corruption investigators, Yoon was arrested in January 2025 and released in March on procedural grounds.
His martial law order prompted widespread political crisis. Senior officials, including the former defence minister and military leaders, came under investigation. The ruling People Power Party fractured, with leader Han Dong-hoon resigning after supporting Yoon’s impeachment.
In the meantime, South Korea’s opposition-led parliament has continued efforts to hold remaining government leaders accountable, including the acting president and finance minister.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Yoon remains defiant. Following his arrest, he thanked supporters and stated: “Although these are dark days... the future of this country is hopeful.”
