A South Korean court, on Friday, sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison after finding him guilty of obstructing justice and other offences linked to his failed declaration of martial law and the turmoil that followed in the country.
Judge Baek Dae-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Yoon deliberately blocked investigators from detaining him and unlawfully excluded cabinet members from a key meeting where the imposition of martial law was planned.
“Despite having a duty, above all others, to uphold the Constitution and observe the rule of law as president, the defendant instead displayed an attitude that disregarded the Constitution,” Baek said while delivering the judgment.
“The defendant’s culpability is extremely grave,” the judge added.
However, the court acquitted Yoon of forging official documents, citing insufficient evidence. He has seven days to file an appeal.
Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison sentence, while Yoon maintained throughout the trial that he broke no laws.
The verdict marks the first in a series of cases confronting the disgraced former leader, whose brief suspension of civilian rule on December 3, 2024, triggered mass protests and a dramatic confrontation in parliament.
(Agency report )
