SEOUL: A South Korean appeals court has increased the prison sentence of former president Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in a case linked to his controversial 2024 martial law declaration.
The ruling, delivered by the Seoul High Court on Wednesday, overturned parts of an earlier verdict that had sentenced Yoon to five years in prison. The appeals court found him guilty of additional charges, including obstructing authorities by mobilising the presidential security service to block his arrest. The court stated that Yoon’s actions were “unacceptable in a society governed by law and order,” highlighting the seriousness of attempting to resist the execution of a lawful arrest warrant.
Yoon, 65, who was impeached and removed from office last year, was also convicted of fabricating official documents and failing to follow the legal procedures required to impose martial law, including bypassing a formal cabinet meeting. Prosecutors had pushed for a 10-year sentence, accusing him of undermining constitutional order, betraying public trust, and misusing state power for personal control.
In response, Yoon’s legal team criticised the ruling as “incomprehensible” and confirmed plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing the court failed to properly interpret the political context of his actions.
The case is one of eight legal proceedings Yoon currently faces following his removal from office in April 2025. He has been in detention since July and was separately sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year for leading an insurrection tied to the same martial law episode.
