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Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Denies Insurrection Charges in Court
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol denies insurrection charges, claiming his martial law declaration was not a coup. He faces life imprisonment or death if convicted.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-14
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Denies Insurrection Charges in Court

The criminal trial of South Korea’s impeached former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, opened on Monday, with the ousted leader denying charges of insurrection. Yoon was formally impeached and stripped of office earlier this month after his controversial martial law declaration in December 2023.

Appearing before the Seoul Central District Court, Yoon rejected allegations that his declaration of martial law amounted to a coup d’etat. He argued that his actions were not intended to overthrow the government but were a necessary response to the opposition’s political maneuvers, including the impeachment of over 20 officials.

“If found guilty of insurrection, Yoon faces life imprisonment or even a death sentence. Prosecutors have argued that Yoon lacked legal grounds to declare martial law and sought to paralyze state institutions, including parliament.

“The defendant … made it impossible for constitutional institutions to exercise their authority based on an unlawful declaration,” the prosecution stated.

Yoon spent approximately 40 minutes refuting the allegations, insisting that the martial law declaration was not a violent attempt to seize power but a peaceful “message martial law” aimed at warning the nation of the opposition’s actions. He stressed that he never intended to disrupt government functions and said the martial law would have lasted only half a day at most.

Yoon explained that he communicated his intention to military officials, but acknowledged that some military personnel overstepped their orders due to training under different martial law guidelines.

The martial law declaration, which cited the need to root out "antistate" elements, was lifted after just six hours, following a standoff at parliament, where lawmakers resisted the military’s attempts to enter and vote on the declaration.

Prosecutors are set to present testimony from two military officers, including one who claims to have been instructed to forcefully remove lawmakers. Yoon, however, denies this allegation.

Experts predict that the trial could be prolonged due to the massive amount of evidence and witness testimonies involved, with a verdict possibly being delivered around August 2024.

If convicted, Yoon would become the third South Korean president to be found guilty of insurrection. However, experts believe that even if a death sentence is imposed, it is highly unlikely to be carried out, as South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.
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