An independent counsel has sought the death penalty for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over rebellion charges linked to his declaration of martial law in December 2024, a Seoul court said Tuesday.
The Seoul Central District Court said the demand was made by the legal team of independent counsel Cho Eun-suk during a hearing.
Yoon, who was removed from office in April last year, is facing multiple criminal trials over the brief imposition of martial law and other scandals during his presidency. The rebellion charge is considered the most serious among the cases against him.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict in February.
Yoon has defended his decision, saying the decree was a desperate but peaceful attempt to alert the public to what he described as the threat posed by the liberal opposition Democratic Party. He accused the opposition-controlled parliament of obstructing his agenda and disrupting state affairs.
He previously labelled the parliament “a den of criminals” and “anti-state forces.” However, lawmakers moved swiftly to challenge the martial law order, with enough members, including some from Yoon’s own party, entering the assembly chamber overnight to vote it down.