CONSEQUENCES

Ousted South Korean Leader Slapped With Life Sentence for Insurrection

The former president’s lawyers said “the truth will one day be revealed in the court of history.”

Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a court found he illegally used state power in an attempt to override the country’s constitutional order. The 65-year-old had declared martial law in a late-night address from Seoul in December 2024, railing against “pro-North Korean, anti-state forces,” before sending troops to surround the National Assembly to block opposition lawmakers. Judges ruled that mobilizing the military and police to thwart the legislature constituted insurrection. Supporters gathered outside the Seoul Central District Court waving “Make Korea Great Again” signs as the sentence was handed down. Echoing claims made by President Donald Trump’s backers, Yoon’s supporters have insisted that the April 2024 national election—won decisively by the opposition—was rigged against them, despite the lack of evidence. The political crisis had been escalating for months. In January, Yoon barricaded himself inside his residence and ordered his security team to block investigators executing an arrest warrant, while supporters in MAGA hats rallied outside with “Stop the Steal” placards and U.S. flags. Yoon’s lawyers criticized Thursday’s ruling as procedurally flawed and inconsistent. They vowed to keep fighting and insisted that “the truth will one day be revealed in the court of history.”