South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of obstruction of justice.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by the Seoul Central District Court, which ruled that the 65-year-old former leader used the presidential security service to block his arrest and ordered the deletion of key documents linked to the investigation against him.
The court held that Yoon deliberately interfered with lawful judicial processes, undermining the rule of law and public trust in state institutions.
Yoon’s legal troubles stem from actions taken after he imposed martial law on December 3, 2024, a move that stunned the nation and triggered one of South Korea’s most serious political crises in decades.
He declared martial law amid a budget standoff with the opposition-controlled legislature, claiming the action was necessary to safeguard South Korea’s democratic order.
Yoon accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communist elements linked to China and North Korea, allegations for which he provided no evidence.
The decision sparked widespread domestic and international concern, alarming investors and leading to delayed and withdrawn investments, while denting South Korea’s reputation as a stable political and economic model in the region.
In a separate and more serious case, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Yoon on charges of incitement related to the political turmoil. A verdict in that trial is expected on February 19.
Although the death penalty remains enshrined in South Korean law, the country has not carried out an execution in nearly three decades.
Since last summer, South Korea has been governed by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-standing political rival of Yoon, who took office following the former president’s removal from power.
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