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

Former president faces renewed death penalty demand as he appeals life sentence for insurrection.

Yoon Suk-yeol, then president of South Korea, speaks at a news conference in Seoul on November 7, 2024, weeks before his failed declaration of martial law [Kim Hong-ji/Pool via AFP]

South Korean prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk-yeol over his failed attempt to impose military rule.

The team led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk renewed the demand at an appeal hearing in Seoul on Thursday, arguing that Yoon’s actions threatened South Korea ‘s democracy.

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He was sentenced to life imprisonment in February after being convicted of leading an insurrection.

Prosecutors had previously sought the death penalty at Yoon’s original trial in January, but the court sentenced him to life imprisonment the following month.

At Thursday’s hearing at the Seoul High Court, a prosecutor said there was “no reason to hesitate” over imposing the death penalty, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

South Korea retains the death penalty but has not carried out an execution since 1997.

Prosecutors argued that this long pause should not prevent judges from sentencing Yoon to death.

Yoon declared martial law on December 3, 2024, deploying soldiers and police to the National Assembly, South Korea’s parliament.

Lawmakers overcame a security blockade to vote down the measure, forcing the government to withdraw it about six hours after it was announced.

The lower court found that Yoon had tried to stop parliament from functioning, detain political opponents and remain in control of the country for an extended period.

Yoon’s lawyers told reporters on Thursday that he had intended to warn an opposition-controlled parliament against what he considered attempts to obstruct his government, not to establish authoritarian rule.

Speaking at the Seoul High Court on October 27, Yoon also denied seeking to establish a long-term dictatorship, according to the Hankyoreh newspaper.

The crisis led parliament to impeach Yoon in December 2024. South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which decides whether to uphold impeachments, removed him from office in April 2025.

The appeals court plans two more hearings, including Yoon’s final statement on November 5.

前总统因叛乱罪被判终身监禁，现正就此判决提出上诉，面临再次要求判处死刑的呼声。

2024年11月7日，时任韩国总统尹锡烈在首尔举行新闻发布会，几周后他宣布戒严令失败。[Kim Hong-ji/Pool via AFP]

韩国检方寻求对前总统尹锡烈判处死刑，因为他试图实施军事统治失败。

周四，由特别检察官赵银淑领导的团队在首尔举行的上诉听证会上再次提出要求，认为尹某的行为威胁到韩国的民主。

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报告称，两名被俄罗斯招募从事强迫劳动的朝鲜人中，有两人被列入名单。

他因领导叛乱罪被判处终身监禁，于2月份获释。

检察官曾在1月份尹某的初审中寻求判处其死刑，但法院在次月判处其无期徒刑。

据韩国联合通讯社报道，在周四首尔高等法院的听证会上，一名检察官表示，对于判处死刑“没有理由犹豫”。

韩国保留死刑，但自 1997 年以来未执行过死刑。

检方认为，这段长时间的停顿不应妨碍法官判处尹某死刑。

2024年12月3日，尹锡悦宣布实施戒严，向韩国国会（国会）部署了士兵和警察。

议员们克服了安全封锁，投票否决了这项措施，迫使政府在宣布该措施约六小时后撤回了该措施。

下级法院认定尹锡悦曾试图阻止国会运作、拘留政治对手并长期控制国家。

尹锡悦的律师周四告诉记者，他本意是警告由反对派控制的国会，不要试图阻挠他的政府，而不是建立独裁统治。

据《韩民族日报》报道，尹锡悦于10月27日在首尔高等法院发表讲话时，还否认了寻求建立长期独裁统治的意图。

这场危机导致国会于 2024 年 12 月弹劾尹锡悦。韩国宪法法院负责决定是否维持弹劾，并于 2025 年 4 月将其免职。

上诉法院计划再举行两次听证会，其中包括尹某于 11 月 5 日的最后陈述。