South Korean prosecutors press for death sentence in Yoon martial law case

What the report says

South Korean prosecutors have renewed their push for the death penalty against former President Yoon Suk-yeol as he appeals a life sentence for insurrection, according to Al Jazeera. The request was made at an appeal hearing in Seoul on Thursday by a special prosecutor’s team led by Cho Eun-suk, which argued that Yoon’s failed martial law attempt threatened the country’s democracy.

Al Jazeera reported that Yoon was convicted in February and given life imprisonment after a court found he led an insurrection. Prosecutors had originally sought capital punishment in the first trial as well. At the latest hearing, they said there was no reason to avoid the harsher sentence, while noting that South Korea still legally retains the death penalty even though it has not carried out an execution since 1997.

The case centers on Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, when he sent soldiers and police to the National Assembly. Lawmakers later forced the measure to be withdrawn after about six hours. The lower court said Yoon tried to block parliament, detain political opponents and hold onto power. Yoon’s lawyers have said he was warning an opposition-led legislature rather than seeking authoritarian rule.

The political crisis also led to Yoon’s impeachment in December 2024, and South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed him from office in April 2025. The appeals court is due to hold two more hearings, including Yoon’s final statement on November 5.