Jamaine Punzalan

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol salutes after delivering his speech during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam on October 1, 2024. Kim Hong-ji, Pool/AFP/File

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17683623758891768362374873.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol salutes after delivering his speech during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam on October 1, 2024. Kim Hong-ji, Pool/AFP/File </span></span></span></div><p>South Korean prosecutors called on Tuesday for the death penalty to be handed down to former president Yoon Suk Yeol for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into chaos.</p><p>Yoon triggered a political crisis when he announced an end to civilian rule in December 2024 and sent troops to parliament to enforce it.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/12/3/timeline-south-korea-s-yoon-suk-yeol-declares-martial-law-0120">TIMELINE: South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law</a></div><p>But his attempt failed and he became the country&#x27;s first sitting president to be taken into custody when he was detained last January.</p><p>Yoon&#x27;s criminal trial for insurrection, abuse of power and other offenses linked to the declaration drew to a close on Tuesday after 11 hours of proceedings.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/4/south-korea-court-upholds-president-yoon-s-impeachment-strips-him-of-office-1044">South Korea court upholds President Yoon&#x27;s impeachment, strips him of office</a></div><p>In closing remarks, prosecutors accused him of being the ringleader of an &quot;insurrection&quot; motivated by a &quot;lust for power aimed at dictatorship and long-term rule&quot;.</p><p>They accused Yoon of showing &quot;no remorse&quot; for actions that threatened &quot;constitutional order and democracy&quot;.</p><p>&quot;The greatest victims of the insurrection in this case are the people of this country,&quot; they said.</p><p>&quot;There are no mitigating circumstances to be considered in sentencing, and instead a severe punishment must be imposed.&quot;</p><p>Speaking in his own defense, Yoon was defiant, saying he was simply exercising his lawful authority as president.</p><p>&quot;It was not a military dictatorship that suppresses citizens, but an effort to safeguard freedom and sovereignty, and revive the constitutional order,&quot; Yoon said, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.</p><p>The court is expected to hand down its ruling in the case on February 19, Yonhap reported.</p><p>Yoon&#x27;s defense team compared the disgraced former leader to historical figures such as Italian scholars Galileo Galilei and Giordano Bruno, who were wrongfully condemned.</p><p>&quot;The majority does not always reveal the truth,&quot; they said.</p><p>Prosecutors also asked that former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun be sentenced to life imprisonment.</p><p>Proceedings were expected to wrap up last Friday, but were postponed after 15 hours of deliberation -- it took eight hours to examine evidence for Kim alone.</p><p>The current trial features eight defendants seen as ringleaders of the martial law bid, including Yoon and Kim.</p><p>If found guilty, Yoon will become the third South Korean president convicted for insurrection, alongside two military leaders in connection with a 1979 coup.</p><p>Even if he is convicted and sentenced to death, it is highly unlikely that it would be carried out as South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.</p><p>Prosecutors are also seeking a 10-year prison term for Yoon on obstruction of justice charges, with a Seoul court expected to deliver a verdict in that case this Friday.</p><p>And he faces a trial on charges of aiding the enemy over allegations he ordered drone flights over North Korea to strengthen his effort to declare martial law.</p><div><iframe width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VwxuAO_fl4g" title="WATCH: South Korea President Yoon declares martial law | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1201" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DichhIJNtdo" title="MOMENT: South Korea&#x27;s Constitutional Court ousts impeached President Yoon | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>South Korean prosecutors called on Tuesday for the death penalty to be handed down to former president Yoon Suk Yeol for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into chaos.</p>

South Korean prosecutors called on Tuesday for the death penalty to be handed down to former president Yoon Suk Yeol for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into chaos.

South Korean prosecutors demand death penalty for ex-leader Yoon

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South Korean prosecutors demand death penalty for ex-leader Yoon

Agence France-Presse

Published January 14, 2026 09:46 AM PHT

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Updated January 14, 2026 11:46 AM PHT

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Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korea

martial law

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