Prosecutors seek death penalty for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

The BareStory

Special prosecutors in South Korea requested the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday. The request was made at the Seoul Central District Court during the conclusion of Yoon's trial on charges of insurrection and rebellion related to his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024. A verdict is expected to be delivered in February.

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk argued that Yoon’s actions constituted a "self-coup" and "anti-state activities." Prosecutors alleged that the former president sought to undermine the constitutional system and seize control of the judiciary and legislature to prolong his power. Yoon was removed from office in the spring of 2025 and is currently in custody facing multiple criminal proceedings.

Yoon has rejected the accusations, maintaining his innocence. He told the court that the martial law declaration was a constitutional act intended to protect national sovereignty and alert the public to threats posed by the opposition Democratic Party. Yoon claimed the opposition had used its legislative majority to block his agenda and accused the party of colluding with North Korean communists. He described the investigations against him as "manipulation" and "distortion."

The charges stem from events on December 3, 2024, when Yoon ordered troops to the National Assembly. Lawmakers voted unanimously to overturn the decree, and Yoon lifted the order approximately six hours after it was announced. Yoon is the first former South Korean president to face a potential death sentence since Chun Doo-hwan in 1996, although the country has not carried out an execution since 1997.