South Korean prosecutors on Friday sought a 10-year prison sentence for ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol in the first criminal case linked to his failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024.
Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk asked the Seoul Central District Court to hand down the sentence after the trial concluded on charges that include obstruction of official duties, abuse of power, falsifying official documents and destroying evidence. A verdict could come as early as next month.
Yoon’s lawyers rejected the request as excessive and politically motivated, saying there were no legal grounds for such a harsh punishment.
The case is the first to wrap up among seven criminal trials Yoon faces. He is also on trial for other allegations, including corruption, influence peddling and rebellion, a serious charge that can carry life imprisonment or the death penalty. The rebellion case is also nearing completion.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law sent armed troops onto the streets of Seoul and sparked the country’s most severe political crisis in decades. The move lasted only hours after lawmakers entered the National Assembly and voted to overturn it.
Yoon was impeached by the opposition-led parliament in December 2024 and formally removed from office by the Constitutional Court in April.
Prosecutors said Yoon blocked efforts to investigate and detain him after his impeachment by staying at his residence for weeks, raising fears of clashes between his security team and law enforcement. They described his actions as an unprecedented obstruction of official duties.
Yoon also faces accusations that he bypassed a required full Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law, fabricated documents related to the decree and ordered data deleted from phones used by those involved.
He has denied the charges, saying the martial law decree was meant to rally public support against the main opposition Democratic Party, which he accused of blocking his agenda.
The independent counsel said a six-month investigation found Yoon had planned for more than a year to impose martial law to sideline political rivals and concentrate power.
Other cases against Yoon involve claims that he ordered drone flights over North Korea to raise tensions, committed perjury in his former prime minister’s trial, interfered in an investigation into a marine’s drowning in 2023 and received free opinion polls in exchange for political favors. Yoon has denied wrongdoing in those cases as well.