South Korea’s ex-president Yoon receives life sentence for imposing martial regulation

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Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in jail for his temporary imposition of martial regulation in a dramatic end result to the nation's greatest political disaster in a long time.

Yoon fell from workplace after an ill-advised try to beat an opposition-controlled legislature by declaring martial regulation and sending troops to encompass the legislature on Dec. 3, 2024.

Decide Jee Kui-youn mentioned he discovered Yoon responsible of revolt for mobilizing navy and police forces in an unlawful try and seize the liberal-led Nationwide Meeting, arrest politicians and set up unchecked energy for a "appreciable" time. Yoon is more likely to enchantment the decision.

Dying penalty A particular prosecutor had demanded the dying penalty for Yoon, saying his actions posed a risk to the nation's democracy and deserved essentially the most critical punishment out there, however most analysts anticipate a life sentence for the reason that poorly-planned energy seize didn't lead to casualties.

South Korea has not executed a dying row inmate since 1997, in what's broadly seen as a de facto moratorium on capital punishment amid requires its abolition.

As Yoon arrived in court docket, a whole bunch of law enforcement officials watched carefully as Yoon supporters rallied outdoors a judicial advanced, their cries rising because the jail bus transporting him drove previous. Yoon's critics gathered close by, demanding the dying penalty.

The court docket additionally convicted and sentenced a number of former navy and police officers concerned in imposing Yoon's martial regulation decree, together with ex-Protection Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who acquired a 30-year jail time period for his central position in planning the measure and mobilizing the navy.

Yoon, a staunch conservative, has defended his martial regulation decree as essential to cease liberals, whom he described as "anti-state" forces, from obstructing his agenda with their legislative majority.

<img loading="lazy" alt="people protesting" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/2ff8e5b5-6cd2-472a-ae19-a15ca9c772e8,1771489041799/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C7301%2C4868%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/2ff8e5b5-6cd2-472a-ae19-a15ca9c772e8,1771489041799/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C7301%2C4868%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/2ff8e5b5-6cd2-472a-ae19-a15ca9c772e8,1771489041799/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C7301%2C4868%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/2ff8e5b5-6cd2-472a-ae19-a15ca9c772e8,1771489041799/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C7301%2C4868%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4997945768282663" data-cy="image-img"/> Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally on Thursday outdoors of Seoul Central District Courtroom within the capital Seoul. (Ahn Younger-joon/The Related Press) The decree lasted about six hours earlier than being lifted after a quorum of lawmakers managed to interrupt by way of a navy blockade and unanimously voted to raise the measure.

Yoon was suspended from workplace on Dec. 14, 2024, after being impeached by lawmakers and was formally eliminated by the Constitutional Courtroom in April 2025. He has been underneath arrest since final July whereas dealing with a number of legal trials, with the revolt cost carrying essentially the most extreme punishment.

Final month, Yoon was sentenced to 5 years in jail for resisting arrest, fabricating the martial regulation proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cupboard assembly earlier than declaring the measure.

The Seoul Central Courtroom has additionally convicted two of Yoon's Cupboard members in different circumstances. That features Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who acquired a 23-year jail sentence for making an attempt to legitimize the decree by forcing it by way of a Cupboard Council assembly, falsifying information and mendacity underneath oath. Han has appealed the decision.