Former President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been found guilty of insurrection over his short and controversial decision to declare martial law in the nation in December of 2024.
The shocking decree was shared during a political showdown, and it entailed mobilizing military and police forces in a bid to block the legislature and arrest crucial political rivals. The very drastic move lasted only a few hours before the National Assembly swiftly reversed it.
But the matter triggered a huge impeachment proceeding and a major legal backlash. Yoon was impeached and removed immediately from office, and since then, he's been detained and put on trial on several charges.
The most serious of those charges is related to insurrection, which is a crime that, under the country's law, carries either life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Prosecutors were seen urging the court of law to impose the death sentence, describing his actions as a means to overthrow constitutional governance. The former leader denies any wrongdoing, stating he was acting well within the country's constitutional right and ensuring his nation remains protected at all times.