South Korea Supreme Court Upholds Seven-Year Sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea upheld a seven-year prison sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday, confirming convictions for obstructing justice and abuse of power. The ruling stems from the former president's failed December 2024 martial law declaration. The court found that Yoon blocked investigators from executing an arrest warrant in January 2025 by ordering presidential bodyguards to stop them, and violated the rights of nine Cabinet members by failing to hold an advance review of his martial law plan.

Additional convictions include falsifying public documents and using forged signatures of the prime minister to hide procedural flaws in the decree. While the court affirmed the seven-year term set by the Seoul High Court, it acquitted Yoon of one charge related to a false proclamation. This marks the first of eight trials to reach the nation's highest court.

Yoon, who has been in custody since July 2025, did not attend the hearing. His legal team expressed "deep regret," claiming the decision lacked sufficient deliberation, and announced plans to challenge the ruling's constitutionality through a complaint to the Constitutional Court. Beyond this case, Yoon faces further legal battles, including a life sentence for masterminding an insurrection and a 30-year sentence for sending drones into North Korea to escalate tensions.