South Korean court sentences ex-President Yoon to 7 years in prison

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Asia South Korean court sentences ex-President Yoon to 7 years in prison April 29, 2026 6:49 AM ET By The Associated Press Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption toggle caption Ahn Young-joon/AP SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison for resisting arrest and bypassing a legitimate Cabinet meeting before his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. The conviction for obstruction of justice and other charges comes on top of a life sentence he has already received on rebellion charges stemming from his baffling authoritarian push, which triggered the most serious crisis for the country's democracy in decades.

Sponsor Message World Former South Korean President Yoon sentenced to life for imposing martial law Judge Yoon Sung-sik of the Seoul High Court said the conservative former president sidestepped a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law, falsified documents to conceal the lapse, and deployed security officials "like a private army" to resist law enforcement efforts to arrest him in the weeks following his impeachment. Former President Yoon stood quietly as the verdict was delivered and made no comment. A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holds up his portrait during a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

The Details

Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption toggle caption Ahn Young-joon/AP Yoo Jeong-hwa, one of Yoon's lawyers, called the verdict "very disappointing" and said the legal team would appeal to the Supreme Court. Yoon has also appealed his life sentence. A lower court in January sentenced Yoon to five years in prison but partially cleared him of abuse-of-power charges tied to the Cabinet meeting ahead of the martial law declaration, finding he was not responsible for the failure to attend of two members who were invited.

The Seoul High Court reversed that acquittal, finding him guilty on all counts and ruling that he violated the rights of those two as well as seven other Cabinet members who weren't notified by convening only a select few to simulate a formal meeting. Though brief, Yoon's Dec. 3, 2024, martial law decree threw the country into a severe political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets.

The turmoil eased only after his liberal rival, Lee Jae Myung, won an early presidential election in June. Sponsor Message Yoon was suspended from office on Dec. 14, 2024, after being impeached by the liberal-led legislature and was formally removed by the Constitutional Court in April 2025.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.