Yoon Suk Yeol 5-year Prison Sentence: First Verdict on 2024 Martial Law Fallout

He once commanded the nation's military; now he faces a prison cell. According to Yonhap, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on January 16, 2026. This marks the first judicial ruling concerning his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.

Charges Behind the Yoon Suk Yeol 5-year Prison Sentence

The court focused on Yoon's actions in January 2025, when he allegedly ordered the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from executing a detention warrant at the presidential residence. Judge Baek Dae-hyun described this as a "privatization of the armed forces" for personal gain. The ruling emphasized that such actions severely damaged the rule of law in South Korea.

Judicial Reasoning: 'Nature of Crimes Was Very Bad'

The five-year sentence is half of what special counsel Cho Eun-suk had requested. While the court considered Yoon's lack of previous criminal records as a mitigating factor, the presiding judge noted that Yoon showed no remorse throughout the trial. "A severe punishment that matches the guilt is necessary to restore the rule of law," the judge stated.

Yoon's defense team hasn't accepted the verdict and plans to appeal immediately. They argue the court oversimplified the line between a president's constitutional authority and criminal liability. This trial is just one of eight legal battles Yoon is currently facing.

Future Implications and Insurrection Charges

This verdict sets a heavy precedent for the upcoming ruling on February 19, 2026, where Yoon faces insurrection charges. Earlier this week, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for that specific case, accusing him of leading an illegal coup through the 2024 decree.