Ousted fmr South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in jail – One America Information Community

[ad_1] <img decoding="async" width="800" height="534" src="https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Images-6-1.png" alt="(Background) Supporters of South Korea's impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol react as they watch a live stream of Yoon's trial on his insurrection charges near the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on February 19, 2026. A South Korean court found ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection on February 19, and sentenced him to life in prison, saying his martial law declaration in December 2024 was a plot to "paralyse" the National Assembly. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images) / (R) South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol attends his criminal trial on insurrection charges at a courtroom of the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on April 21, 2025. (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)" class="wp-image-761708" srcset="https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Images-6-1.png 800w, https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Images-6-1-400x267.png 400w, https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Images-6-1-768x513.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"/> (Background) Supporters of South Korea’s impeached former president react as they watch a dwell stream of Yoon’s trial on his rebel costs in Seoul on February 19, 2026. (Photograph by Jung Yeon-je / AFP by way of Getty Photographs) / (R) South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol on April 21, 2025. (Photograph by JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)

OAN Workers Katherine Mosack4:00 PM – Thursday, February 19, 2026

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and faraway from workplace following his short-lived declaration of martial legislation in December 2024, has been sentenced to life in jail by the Seoul Central District Courtroom.

Yoon, 65, was sentenced to life in jail after he was discovered responsible of abuse of authority and masterminding an rebel, in relation to when he declared martial legislation in December 2024 — the nation’s most intense political scandal in a long time.

Yoon’s temporary declaration on December 3, 2024, lasted solely about six hours earlier than the Nationwide Meeting voted to elevate it and he revoked the decree. Nevertheless, regardless of its quick period, the try precipitated vital and lasting injury throughout a number of areas of South Korean society, politics, economic system, and worldwide standing.

It triggered speedy nationwide protests, deep societal polarization and excessive political confrontation between supporters and opponents that lasted a 12 months later, in addition to injury to the political neutrality of the navy and police — as troops have been deployed to encompass the Nationwide Meeting, break home windows, and try to dam lawmakers — undermining public belief in these establishments.

In courtroom, Yoon denied the fees and reiterated that on the time, he had lawful authority to declare martial legislation to attract consideration to opposition events’ obstruction of presidency and root out “anti-state forces.”

Nevertheless, Choose Jee Kui-youn argued that the actual goal behind Yoon’s declaration was “to ship troops to the nationwide meeting to blockade the meeting corridor and arrest key figures, together with the meeting speaker and celebration leaders, thereby stopping lawmakers from gathering to deliberate or vote.”

Though prosecutors argued for the demise penalty, citing “irreparable” injury to the navy’s political neutrality, the courtroom as an alternative handed down a life sentence, noting that the previous president appeared to have tried to restrict bodily pressure in the course of the fee of the crime.

Yoon reportedly remained stone-faced as the decision was learn — a second broadcast dwell to a captivated nation. His sentencing additionally follows a turbulent 12 months that started with a high-stakes standoff on the presidential compound, the place safety forces initially shielded him from arrest.

Outdoors the courthouse, the scene was one in every of grief and fury. Tons of of supporters waved South Korean flags and chanted “Yoon once more!” As information of the life time period filtered out, the group erupted, with some weeping and declaring “the nation is completed,” whereas others directed their rage on the bench, shouting, “Political decide, step down!”

The story Western media is not overlaying from South Korea.

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol was simply sentenced to demise for "rebel."

The day after? Hundreds within the streets chanting "Not responsible" and calling him the "actual president."

This is what you want to perceive.

In… pic.twitter.com/O7uSMjH7cq

— The Monarch Report (@monarchreport25) January 17, 2026

In stark distinction, close by progressive teams erupted in cheers and embraced as information of the life sentence broke. For a lot of, nonetheless, the victory was bittersweet. They expressed disappointment that the courtroom stopped wanting the demise penalty — the utmost statutory punishment for his conviction.

Whereas such a sentence would have been largely symbolic, provided that South Korea has maintained a moratorium on executions since 1997, activists argued it was the one becoming response to the gravity of his crimes.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was additionally sentenced to 23 years in jail for his involvement within the declaration in January, whereas former First Girl Kim Keon Hee was arrested in August on costs of bribery and corruption.