On February 19, 2026, The Seoul Central District Court found the former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of leading an insurrection and sentenced him to life imprisonment. This ruling ended a massive political crisis that had gripped the nation for over a year.
It all began on the night of December 3, 2024, when Yoon stunned the nation by declaring martial law during a live televised address, accusing the opposition Democratic Party of harboring “anti-state forces” sympathetic to North Korea. Armed troops were dispatched to the National Assembly, with special forces breaking windows and trying to block lawmakers from entering their offices. However, the power grab lasted barely six hours. A total of 190 lawmakers gathered in an emergency session and unanimously voted to overturn the martial law order, forcing the military to back down.
Yoon was impeached 11 days after the declaration and later removed from office. Prosecutors had pushed for the death penalty, but the court handed down a life sentence instead. Throughout the trial, the judge noted that Yoon showed no regret for his actions and even called the charges against him “a work of fiction.” Other high-ranking officials were also punished, including the Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who reportedly ordered troops to physically remove lawmakers from the chamber, was sentenced to 30 years and Former Prime Minister Han Duck Soo too received 23 years.
For many South Koreans, Yoon’s attempt to declare martial law brought back memories of the military rule in the country following the 1950-53 Korean War. Cho Kuk, the leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, said on social media that Yoon “tried to destroy South Korea’s democracy,” adding that the country’s experience proves that democratic recovery rests with its people.Alongside, Song Hwa, a 35-year-old Seoul resident who went to the National Assembly to protest during the crisis, called the court’s decision very important. She believes the ruling sends a strong message to everyone that such actions will not be tolerated.
While Yoon’s failed power grab and prison sentence prove that breaking the law has consequences, it remains to be seen whether a life sentence truly protects democracy in the long run.
