Seoul: A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on charges related to his imposition of martial law.

The verdict marks the first conviction in the eight criminal trials connected to the decree Yoon issued in late 2024, as well as other allegations against him.

The most serious charge against Yoon, alleging that he led a rebellion in connection with his enforcement of martial law, carries a potential death penalty, though the current sentence relates to other charges, including his defiance of authorities’ attempts to detain him.

The Seoul Central District Court delivered the ruling on Friday. Yoon has not made an immediate public comment. Previously, when an independent counsel had sought a 10-year prison term, his defence team accused prosecutors of political bias and argued that the demand lacked legal basis, describing it as “excessive.”

Yoon was impeached, arrested, and removed from office after his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024 sparked mass protests calling for his ouster.

He maintains that the decree was not intended to place the country under military rule but was aimed at warning the public about the perceived obstruction of his agenda by a liberal-controlled parliament. Investigators, however, viewed the move as an attempt to strengthen and extend his grip on power, leading to charges including rebellion, abuse of power, and other criminal offences.