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Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to face his first court ruling on Friday in a landmark criminal case tied to his failed attempt to impose martial law, a political crisis that stunned the nation and drew international attention. The ruling marks a critical moment in a series of legal battles that could result in a lengthy prison sentence if he is convicted.
Yoon, who is currently detained at the Seoul Detention Center, faces multiple criminal charges, including obstructing officials from executing an arrest warrant earlier this year. Prosecutors allege that in January, Yoon barricaded himself inside his presidential residence and ordered members of the presidential security service to block investigators attempting to detain him. After an initial failure, authorities arrested Yoon during a second operation involving more than 3,000 police officers, making him the first sitting South Korean president ever to be arrested.
If found guilty on obstruction-related charges alone, Yoon could face up to 10 years in prison. He is also accused of falsifying official documents when he declared martial law in December 2024, claiming the move was necessary to restore democratic order amid what he described as threats from opposition lawmakers and “anti-state” forces.
Beyond this week’s ruling, Yoon faces several additional trials, including a major case accusing him of masterminding an insurrection. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty in that case, with a verdict expected in February, underscoring the severity of the allegations.
Yoon’s brief martial law declaration lasted only about six hours but triggered an immediate backlash. Parliament, including members of his own conservative party, swiftly voted to overturn the decree and later impeached him. In April last year, South Korea’s Constitutional Court formally removed Yoon from office, ruling that he had violated his constitutional duties.
The episode sent shockwaves through South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. ally, challenging its reputation as one of the world’s most resilient democracies and marking one of the most dramatic political crises in its modern history.
