South Korean prosecutors seek the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, accused of rebellion after imposing martial law

South Korean prosecutors have sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in an appeal concerning his conviction for insurrection. The former leader was sentenced to life in prison in February after a court found that he had illegally mobilized the military and police to take control of Parliament, arrest his political opponents and establish authoritarian rule.

The team led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk believes that the seriousness of the acts and the threat to democracy justify the application of capital punishment. The Seoul High Court has not yet set a date for the verdict. The defense rejects the accusations and argues that the declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, was intended to draw attention to the political deadlock caused by the opposition.

The decree was annulled several hours later by a parliamentary vote. Yoon was suspended on December 14, 2024, and in April 2025 the Constitutional Court permanently removed him from office. South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997, so a potential death sentence would most likely not be carried out. The former president is also appealing a separate 30-year prison sentence in a case concerning the dispatch of drones to North Korea.