South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the ruling concludes the criminal case initiated following the former president's attempt to impose martial law in the country for a brief period in 2024.
The Supreme Court stated that the lower court's decision did not involve any misapplication of the law. In April of this year, the Seoul High Court had increased Yoon Suk Yeol's prison sentence from five to seven years. The court found the former president guilty of falsifying documents, failing to adhere to legal procedures required for declaring martial law—including the mandatory official Cabinet of Ministers meeting—and disseminating false information to foreign media outlets.
Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team has announced plans to file a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court following the verdict. Prosecutors had originally sought a 10-year prison sentence, accusing him of abuse of power and causing harm to the public.
The 65-year-old former leader was also sentenced to life imprisonment in February for organizing an insurrection related to the martial law declaration. He has been in custody since July 2025 and currently faces seven other separate legal proceedings.
South Korea's political landscape has faced significant scrutiny following these events, highlighting the country's robust judicial oversight mechanisms regarding executive power and constitutional adherence.
