South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday made final Yoon Suk Yeol’s seven-year prison term in the first of several criminal cases tied to his brief 2024 martial law declaration.
The court upheld findings that Yoon bypassed required Cabinet deliberation, falsified the martial law proclamation to hide that lapse, destroyed the document, and used presidential security forces to resist arrest after his impeachment.
Yoon, who remains detained and did not attend the ruling, said through lawyers that the court ended a major case without sufficient review.
The decision tracks the Constitutional Court’s April 2025 ruling that removed Yoon from office, saying the decree lacked legal grounds and proper procedure.
Yoon is still appealing a life sentence for rebellion and a separate 30-year term over alleged 2024 drone flights meant to heighten tensions with North Korea and justify martial law.
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South Korea’s 2024 Martial Law Crisis and the 7-Year Sentence of Former President Yoon: Democratic Resilience, Legal Precedent, and Regional Lessons
Overview
On July 9, 2026, the Supreme Court delivered its final and binding verdict on former President Yoon Suk Yeol, upholding a seven-year prison sentence after both prosecutors and Yoon’s legal team appealed earlier judgments. This decision followed an appeals court’s increased sentence from the district court’s initial ruling, though it was still less than the ten years recommended by the special counsel. Yoon did not appear in court for the ruling. The Supreme Court’s final decision marks a significant moment in South Korea’s legal and political history, highlighting the judiciary’s role in holding former leaders accountable.