Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol received a life sentence for attempting to declare martial law in December 2024, marking a dramatic fall from power. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of leading an insurrection and attempting to subvert the constitutional order by planning to capture military control, blockade parliament, and arrest key political figures. Five other senior officials, including the former defense minister and prime minister, also received substantial prison sentences ranging from 7 to 30 years. Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty, but the court delivered a life imprisonment verdict. Yoon was the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested in an operation involving over 3,000 police personnel, highlighting the unprecedented nature of this political crisis.
