S. Korea Seeks Death Penalty for Ex-President Yoon

South Korean prosecutors have formally sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The request was submitted during the final hearing of his insurrection trial held on Tuesday at the Seoul District Court. Prosecutors described Yoon as the "leader of the insurrection" for his role in the failed martial law declaration.

Yoon was removed from office and arrested in 2025. Although he was briefly released in March for procedural reasons, he returned to prison in July. His impeachment was officially confirmed on April 3, and he remains under investigation for the martial law decree issued in December 2024. The trial focuses on his alleged attempt to subvert democratic institutions to extend his tenure.

According to the prosecution, Yoon's actions were a deliberate attempt to seize control of the country's Judiciary and Legislature. The charge of insurrection is one of the few criminal accusations for which a South Korean president does not have immunity. While the crime is punishable by life imprisonment or death, no one has been executed for this specific crime in decades.

The legal proceedings stem from the events of December 2024, when President Yoon declared martial law. He claimed the measure was necessary to stop the activities of pro-North Korean agents and to break a political impasse. However, the decree attempted to close Parliament and restrict civil rights, sparking immediate backlash.

The martial law measure was overturned just hours after the announcement due to resistance from legislators and the public. This event plunged South Korea into a political crisis that lasted for nearly all of 2025. Despite the swift reversal, prosecutors argue the intent was to stage a coup.

Yoon and his legal team have rejected the accusations. In a previous hearing, they argued that he never intended to fully impose martial law but rather used it as a warning. However, investigators found no evidence to support his claims regarding North Korean agents or the necessity of the decree.

The fallout from the martial law decree led to the impeachment and detention of Yoon Suk Yeol, marking a historic moment as the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. He resisted arrest for weeks at his residence, protected by the presidential security service, before eventually being taken into custody.

Following the removal of Yoon and the subsequent political vacuum, a new president, Lee Jae-myung, was elected. President Lee is currently tasked with stabilizing the nation politically and economically after the turmoil of the previous year. South Korea has a history of military coups, and the events of late 2024 have deeply impacted the nation's political landscape.

The trial is currently being processed by the Constitutional Court, while the criminal proceedings for insurrection continue in the district court. The prosecution's demand for the death penalty highlights the severity with which the state is treating the attempt to bypass democratic processes.