Yoon Suk-yeol Convicted: A Life Sentence That Could Reshape U.S.–South Korea Relations

On February 19, 2026, the Seoul Central District Court announced the verdict for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the case regarding the imposition of martial law on December 3, 2024.

Having found him guilty of attempting a coup d'état, the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment in a strict regime facility (labor colony). At the same time, the prosecution insisted on the application of the death penalty—the highest measure of punishment, which has not been applied since 1997.

In addition to former President Yoon himself, the court sentenced former technocratic Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to up to 23 years in prison. Verdicts were also announced for representatives of Yoon's closest political circle—in particular, the former Minister of Defense, the head of the intelligence service, and the leaders of police agencies.