South Korean prosecutors seek 10-year jail term for ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors on Friday sought a 10-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk Yeol over offences linked to his attempt to impose martial law last year.

Yoon Suk Yeol briefly suspended civilian rule on December 3, 2024 — the first such move in more than four decades — triggering widespread protests and a political crisis. Armed soldiers were deployed to parliament under the decree, but opposition lawmakers scaled fences to enter the building and swiftly voted it down, bringing the order to an end after around six hours. Parliament later impeached Yoon over the move.

Following his removal from office by the Constitutional Court in April, Yoon has been facing multiple criminal trials connected to the martial law declaration. Prosecutors indicted him in May for abuse of power.

On Friday, prosecutors asked the court to sentence Yoon to 10 years in prison on charges including obstruction of justice, alleging that he excluded cabinet members from a key martial law meeting and later blocked investigators from detaining him in January.

A Seoul court is expected to deliver its verdict next month, according to Yonhap news agency.

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Yoon has defended his decision, saying earlier this month that declaring martial law was justified to counter what he described as “pro-China, pro-North Korea, and traitorous activities”.

He is also facing three other trials, including charges of leading an insurrection — an offence that carries the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted.

Yoon became the second South Korean president to be removed from office and the third to be impeached by parliament.