A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for obstructing justice and related crimes stemming from his controversial declaration of martial law and its aftermath, marking the first verdict in a series of cases against the disgraced former leader. Yoon’s brief suspension of civilian rule on Dec. 3, 2024, triggered massive street protests and a political confrontation in parliament, ultimately leading to his removal from office. He now faces multiple trials connected to decisions made during the crisis and the turmoil that followed.
Judge Baek Dae-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court said Yoon was guilty of obstructing justice by blocking investigators from detaining him and of excluding cabinet members from a key meeting that planned the martial law declaration. In delivering the verdict, Baek said Yoon, despite his constitutional duty as president, had shown disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law, adding that the former president’s culpability was “extremely grave.”