Seoul Court Prepares to Deliver Verdict on Yoon Suk Yeol's Insurrection Charges
After a lengthy 14-month legal process, a court in Seoul is poised to rule on the insurrection charges brought against impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol. This follows his controversial and short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024, a move that has left South Korea grappling with its democratic foundations.
Historic Courtroom Setting and Potential Penalties
Yoon Suk Yeol will stand in courtroom 417 of the Seoul central district court this Thursday to hear his fate, with the proceedings broadcast live to the nation. This same courtroom holds historical significance, as it was where military dictator Chun Doo-hwan received a death sentence three decades ago for similar charges. While Chun's sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment and eventually pardoned, Yoon faces a stark reality under South Korea's criminal code.
The charge of leading an insurrection carries three possible sentences: death, life imprisonment with labour, or life imprisonment without labour. Notably, South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997, meaning a death penalty would effectively result in permanent societal exclusion without parole. Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty, citing Yoon's lack of remorse as an aggravating factor.
National Exhaustion and Political Fallout
As the ruling approaches, a palpable sense of exhaustion and division permeates South Korean society. The months-long saga has seen 27 individuals indicted over the martial law crisis, with many citizens expressing weariness. Dowon Kim, a 32-year-old office worker in Seoul, reflects this sentiment, stating that society is too exhausted to engage in political debates, while Song Ji-won, a 24-year-old student in Incheon, simply wishes to stop hearing about the incident, calling it a national embarrassment.
The political repercussions have been severe for Yoon's People Power party, which has struggled to distance itself from his legacy. Recent polling by Gallup Korea shows the party at just 22%, compared to 44% for the ruling Democratic party. The once-vibrant K-pop light stick protests and pro-Yoon rallies have dwindled, with a recent event attracting only around 20 attendees out of 2,300 registered supporters.
From Martial Law to Impeachment: A Swift Response
On the night of December 3, 2024, prosecutors allege that Yoon declared martial law in an attempt to use military force to paralyse the legislature, arrest political opponents, and seize control of the national election commission. Yoon defended his actions as necessary to root out anti-state forces and alleged election fraud, claiming he had plotted for over a year by placing loyalists in key military positions.
The response was rapid and decisive. Within hours, 190 lawmakers broke through military and police cordons around parliament to pass an emergency resolution lifting martial law. Parliament impeached Yoon within 11 days, and the constitutional court removed him from office four months later. Three separate special prosecutors were appointed, leading to over 120 indictments, including cabinet ministers, military commanders, and intelligence chiefs.
Precedent from Related Cases and Broader Legal Battles
In the lead-up to this week's ruling, related court cases have established key legal findings. On January 16, Yoon received a five-year sentence for obstructing his own arrest. Days later, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was given 23 years, with the ruling formally declaring the events of December 3 as insurrection, described as a self-coup. Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min also received seven years for his role.
However, Thursday's verdict rests with a different presiding judge, who will independently determine if the events crossed the criminal threshold for insurrection. Yoon faces additional legal battles, including six more criminal trials, two stemming from the martial law crisis, such as a treason indictment for allegedly ordering drone incursions into North Korean airspace.
Democratic Accountability and Societal Implications
For South Korea, this verdict represents a critical moment in democratic accountability against a former head of state. The court will also deliver judgments against seven co-defendants, including senior military and police officials implicated in the plot. Many observers who lived through the authoritarian 1980s see echoes of that era in the 2024 declaration, testing the democratic guardrails they fought to establish.
Sangchin Chun, a sociology professor at Sogang University, notes that ending the insurrection may hinge less on legal outcomes and more on everyday economic improvements under President Lee Jae Myung, who maintains a 63% approval rating by focusing on issues like cost of living and housing. By Thursday afternoon, South Korea will learn whether its democratic institutions have held firm against this profound challenge.
