SEOUL, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment for insurrection over his brief martial law declaration, capping months of political turmoil in a ruling broadcast live nationwide.
A three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of attempting to obstruct the functioning of the National Assembly when he declared emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, but stopped short of imposing the death penalty sought by prosecutors.
Several hundred supporters gathered outside the courthouse ahead of the ruling, waving South Korean and U.S. flags and holding banners calling for Yoon's reinstatement. When the decision was announced, some shouted angrily while others buried their faces in their hands.
"I can't understand the verdict," supporter H.J. Kim said. "Declaring martial law is a president's right. He wanted to save the country."
Yoon, a 65-year-old former prosecutor who attended the hearing in person, has consistently denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the insurrection charge.
