Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to five years over failed martial law bid
January 16, 2026: A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for obstructing authorities who attempted to arrest him after his failed bid to impose martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of mobilising the presidential security service to block the execution of an arrest warrant and of bypassing the mandatory legal process, including failing to convene a formal cabinet meeting before declaring martial law. The ruling marks the first verdict in a series of criminal cases linked to Yoon’s controversial decision, which lasted only six hours but triggered a major political crisis.
Delivering the verdict, the court said Yoon had abused his presidential authority for personal safety and gain. The former prosecutor, now 65, showed no visible reaction as the sentence was announced during televised proceedings. His legal team criticised the ruling as “politicised” and confirmed that an appeal would be filed. Prosecutors, meanwhile, are pursuing a separate trial in which they have sought the death penalty, accusing Yoon of masterminding an insurrection by attempting to impose military rule and suspend parliament.
Security was tight around the courthouse as supporters gathered, calling Yoon the victim of a political witch hunt. Yoon was arrested last year after a second operation involving thousands of police officers, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be detained. Parliament had swiftly overturned his martial law decree and later impeached him, with the Constitutional Court formally removing him from office in April. The episode shocked South Korea, a key US ally and major Asian economy, and added Yoon to the list of former presidents who have faced conviction and imprisonment.