South Korea’s Yoon could become ‘martyr’ if given death penalty: analysts
Last Updated on January 14, 2026 10:35 pm
By Park Chan-kyong
When prosecutors in South Korea demanded the death penalty for ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, he shook his head in disbelief and let out a contemptuous laugh – a moment that encapsulated his defiant posture throughout nine months of hearings.
Yoon stands accused of being the “ringleader” of an insurrection stemming from his failed martial law bid in 2024 that plunged the country into political chaos.
The public gallery, packed with Yoon’s supporters, erupted into protests, forcing the presiding judge to repeatedly call for order at the final hearing on Tuesday, which stretched 17 hours and past midnight.
A three-judge panel is set to deliver its verdict and sentence on the 65-year-old on February 19, weighing the prosecution’s request and any mitigating factors.
Special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk’s team sought the death penalty, accusing Yoon of orchestrating an “insurrection” by imposing martial law in a bid to cling to power through the seizure of the judiciary and legislature.
Prosecutors also demanded life imprisonment for former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun and a 30-year prison term for retired army intelligence chief No Sang-won, accused of designing the martial law plan.
“This was a crime of insurrection aimed at neutralising constitutional state bodies to extend power through military and police forces,” the special counsel said.
Source :SCMP