{"id":2538788,"date":"2026-01-16T03:57:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T08:57:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024-4\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T03:58:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T08:58:23","slug":"south-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024-4\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea&#8217;s former president sentenced to five years in prison for martial law order in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsouth-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024-4%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2538788&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced too five years in prison on charges related to his Dec. 3, 2024 declaration of martial law. Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of fabricating official documents, failing to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >follow required legal procedures<\/a> for imposing martial law, and obstructing attempts to arrest him after the bid failed. The judge said the decree plunged the country into a political crisis and warranted &#8220;grave punishment.&#8221; This is the first of several expected verdicts; Yoon still faces a separate trial on more serious insurrection charges that prosecutors may seek the death penalty for.<\/p>\n<p>Key timeline:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; March 9, 2022: Yoon narrowly won the presidential election; inaugurated may 10, 2022.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Dec. 3, 2024: Declared martial law.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Dec.2024: National Assembly unanimously rebuked the decree (190-0); Yoon retracted the order and apologized on Dec. 7.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; dec. 31, 2024: an arrest warrant was issued.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Jan. 15, 2025: Yoon was arrested and detained (placed in solitary).  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Apr. 4, 2025: Constitutional Court finalized his impeachment and removed him from office.  <\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Jan. 16, 2026: Sentenced to five years in prison in the first verdict related to the martial law decree.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">South Korea&rsquo;s former president sentenced to five years in prison for martial law order in 2024<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2473969\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-korea\/\">South Korean<\/a> President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison over his declaration of martial law in the country while he was president on Dec. 3, 2024.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Yoon was found <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/south-korea-ex-president-yoon-found-guilty-obstruction-over-martial-law-bid-2026-01-16\/\">guilty<\/a> by South Korea&rsquo;s Seoul Central District Court on numerous charges from his martial law decision, including the fabrication of official documents, failure to comply with the required legal process for martial law, and the obstruction of &ldquo;attempts to arrest him following his failed bid to impose martial law,&rdquo; according to <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4421344\/army-surgeon-credited-with-saving-duckworths-life-enters-nj-congressional-race\/\">Army surgeon credited with saving Duckworth&#8217;s life enters NJ congressional race<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4421285\/noem-taps-14-year-ice-attorney-to-serve-as-agencys-new-deputy-director\/\">Noem taps 14-year ICE attorney to serve as agency&#8217;s new deputy director<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4421303\/tom-homan-offers-pull-ice-from-minneapolis-if-allowed-access-jails\/\">Tom Homan offers to pull ICE from Minneapolis &#8216;real quick&#8217; upon access to jails<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The former South Korean president was scolded by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/ktla.com\/news\/nationworld\/ap-international\/ap-a-south-korean-court-sentences-yoon-to-5-years-in-prison-on-charges-related-to-martial-law-decree\/\">Judge Baek Dae-hyun<\/a>, claiming that Yoon&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024-3\/\" title=\"...&#039;s former ... to five ... in prison for ... in 2024\">martial law decree &#038;ldquo<\/a>;plunged the country into political crisis.&rdquo; Yoon was also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cy4qdpxp78po\">criticized<\/a> for consistently showing &ldquo;no remorse&rdquo; and only providing &ldquo;hard-to-comprehend excuses.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>His violations of the law required a &ldquo;grave punishment,&rdquo; said the judge. It is the first of an expected four verdicts related to charges against Yoon for his martial law decree.<\/p>\n<p>Yoon still faces a trial over the most serious charge against him on accusations of insurrection, multiple sources <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2026\/1\/16\/south-korea-court-finds-disgraced-ex-president-guilty-in-martial-law-case\">reported<\/a>. A verdict for these charges in this separate trial is expected some time in February. The Washington Examiner previously <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4416561\/prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-south-korean-leader-yoon-suk-yeol\/\">reported<\/a> that prosecutors in this case could seek the death penalty.<\/p>\n<p>Yoon also faces other charges related to his failed martial law declaration, including violating the rights of nine cabinet members and blocking a detention warrant of South Korean investigators, according to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wionews.com\/videos\/south-korea-ex-prez-yoon-faces-first-verdict-martial-law-declaration-under-review-1768546287726\">WION<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yoon won South Korea&rsquo;s presidential election on March 9, 2022 by a slim margin, 48.56% to 47.83%. He officially became South Korea&rsquo;s president on May 10, 2022.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I learned a lot while carrying out the campaign, what is needed to be a leader of a country, how to listen carefully to the people,&rdquo; Yoon <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/International\/south-korea-elects-prosecutor-yoon-suk-yeol-president\/story?id=83343124\">said<\/a> in a speech after winning the election. &ldquo;This election process and competition are all for the people. Election is over now, and we need to be all one for the people and our Republic of Korea.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4416561\/prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-south-korean-leader-yoon-suk-yeol\/\"><strong>PROSECUTORS SEEK DEATH PENALTY FOR SOUTH KOREAN LEADER YOON SUK YEOL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Yoon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-issues-proclamation-on-tulsa-race-massacre-calls-on-americans-to-eradicate-systemic-racism\/\" title=\"Biden Issues Proclamation On Tulsa Race Massacre, Calls On Americans To \u2018Eradicate Systemic Racism\u2019\">declared martial law<\/a> in his country on Dec. 3 but it was met with strong opposition in his country and would eventually lead to his demise. The martial law order was unanimously rebuked by South Korea&rsquo;s National Assembly in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/news4sanantonio.com\/news\/nation-world\/south-korean-president-lifts-martial-law-decree-after-unanimous-parliament-vote-local-news-near-me-law-international\">190-0 vote<\/a>. Yoon retracted the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-koreas-former-president-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-martial-law-order-in-2024\/\" title=\"...&#039;s former ... to five ... in prison for ... in 2024\">martial law order shortly<\/a> thereafter and on Dec. 7, issued an apology to the country for doing so. He would face multiple motions of impeachment later that month.<\/p>\n<p>By Dec. 31, South Korea&rsquo;s Western District Court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/m-en.yna.co.kr\/view\/AEN20241230010100315?section=national\/politics\">issued an arrest warrant<\/a> for Yoon but he failed to comply, instead remaining in the country&rsquo;s presidential palace. On Jan. 15, he was officially <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.koreatimes.co.kr\/southkorea\/law-crime\/20250115\/south-korean-president-yoon-suk-yeol-detained-for-questioning-over-martial-law-declaration\">arrested and detained<\/a> at Seoul Detention Center in South Korea, being placed in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.koreatimes.co.kr\/southkorea\/law-crime\/20250119\/south-koreas-president-clad-prison-garb-placed-in-solitary-confinement\">solitary confinement<\/a>. On April 4, 2025, Yoon&rsquo;s impeachment was made official by South Korea&rsquo;s Constitutional Court and removed from office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former S. Korean president jailed 5 years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2538789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26013457746893.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[34350,4918,34188],"class_list":["post-2538788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-former-president","tag-sentenced","tag-south-korea"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26013457746893.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2538788"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2538792,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538788\/revisions\/2538792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2538789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2538788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2538788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2538788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}