Court sentences former world leader to 7 years in prison for resisting arrest, other charges

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean appeals tribunal connected Wednesday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to 7 years successful situation for resisting apprehension and bypassing a morganatic Cabinet gathering earlier his little imposition of martial instrumentality successful December 2024.

The condemnation for obstruction of justness and different charges comes connected apical of a life condemnation helium has already received connected rebellion charges stemming from his baffling authoritarian push, which triggered the astir superior situation for the country’s ideology successful decades.

Judge Yoon Sung-sik of the Seoul High Court said the blimpish erstwhile president sidestepped a legally mandated afloat Cabinet gathering earlier declaring martial law, falsified documents to conceal the lapse, and deployed information officials "like a backstage army" to defy instrumentality enforcement efforts to apprehension him successful the weeks pursuing his impeachment. Former President Yoon stood softly arsenic the verdict was delivered and made nary comment.

SOUTH KOREAN COURT RULES EX‑PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL GUILTY IN INSURRECTION TRIAL

A protagonist of erstwhile South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holds up his representation during a rally extracurricular Seoul High Court successful Seoul, South Korea, connected April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Yoo Jeong-hwa, 1 of Yoon’s lawyers, called the verdict "very disappointing" and said the ineligible squad would entreaty to the Supreme Court. Yoon has also appealed his beingness sentence.

A little tribunal successful January sentenced Yoon to 5 years successful situation but partially cleared him of abuse-of-power charges tied to the Cabinet gathering up of the martial instrumentality declaration, uncovering helium was not liable for the nonaccomplishment to be of 2 members who were invited.

The Seoul High Court reversed that acquittal, uncovering him blameworthy connected each counts and ruling that helium violated the rights of those 2 arsenic good arsenic 7 different Cabinet members who weren’t notified by convening lone a prime fewer to simulate a ceremonial meeting.

SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTOR SEEKS DEATH PENALTY FOR EX-PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION: 'SELF-COUP'

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a proceeding of his impeachment proceedings astatine the Constitutional Court successful Seoul connected Feb. 11, 2025. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Though brief, Yoon’s Dec. 3, 2024, martial instrumentality decree threw the state into a terrible governmental crisis, paralyzing authorities and high-level diplomacy and rattling fiscal markets. The turmoil eased lone aft his wide rival, Lee Jae Myung, won an aboriginal statesmanlike predetermination successful June.

Yoon was suspended from bureau connected Dec. 14, 2024, aft being impeached by the liberal-led legislature and was formally removed by the Constitutional Court successful April 2025.

Following his suspension from office, helium refused to comply with a Seoul court's warrant to detain him for questioning, mounting up a standoff successful which dozens of investigators arrived astatine the statesmanlike residence successful aboriginal January 2025 but were blocked by statesmanlike information forces and conveyance barricades. He was detained aboriginal that month, released by different tribunal successful March, and was past re-arrested successful July.

Supporters of erstwhile South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol signifier a rally extracurricular the Seoul High Court successful Seoul, South Korea, connected April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

He remained successful custody aft that arsenic a bid of transgression trials, which are continuing, began.

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Wednesday’s ruling came a time aft the aforesaid tribunal accrued to four years the condemnation of Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, for charges including accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church, which sought governmental favors from Yoon’s government, and engagement successful a banal terms manipulation scheme.

Supporters of erstwhile South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol signifier a rally extracurricular the Seoul High Court successful Seoul connected April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Prosecutors successful a abstracted proceedings past week also requested a 30-year situation term for Yoon over allegations that helium deliberately tried to escalate tensions with North Korea successful 2024 by ordering drone flights implicit Pyongyang arsenic helium sought to make justifiable conditions for martial law at home.