A South Korean court is set to deliver a closely watched verdict on insurrection charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a criminal case that could see him sentenced to death over his shock declaration of martial law in 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court¡¯s sentencing hearing on Thursday afternoon caps a yearlong trial that began shortly after Yoon¡¯s ill-fated attempt to put the country under military rule. Prosecutors sought the death penalty for the ousted leader, citing the threat he posed to the country¡¯s democracy and constitutional order. He could also be sentenced to life in prison.
Yoon was indicted last year on charges of insurrection following his abrupt decision to suspend civilian rule, a move that triggered the nation¡¯s worst constitutional crisis in decades. The short-lived decree ultimately led to his impeachment and the first-ever arrest and indictment of a sitting president of South Korea.
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