South Korean prosecutor seeks death sentence for ex-leader Yoon over martial law decree

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-martial-law-death-sentence-26b90a07c792ec2ba91619cec579aaca

South Korean prosecutor seeks death sentence for ex-leader Yoon over martial law decree
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Updated 11:06 AM CST, January 13, 2026

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An independent counsel on Tuesday demanded the death sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on rebellion charges in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.

Yoon, who was removed from office last April and is in jail, faces eight trials over various criminal charges related to his martial law debacle and other scandals that flared during his time in office. Charges that he directed a rebellion are the most significant ones.

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team requested the Seoul Central District Court to sentence Yoon to death, according to the court, which is expected to deliver a verdict in February.

During Tuesday’s court session, Park Eok-su, a senior investigator on Cho’s team, described Yoon’s decree as “anti-state activities” and “a self-coup.” He alleged that Yoon’s action was designed to prolong his rule by neutralizing the constitutional structure of state governance systems.

Experts say the court will likely sentence Yoon to life in prison. South Korea hasn’t executed anyone since 1997, and local courts rarely issue the death penalty in recent years.

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