The country’s special prosecutor has requested the death penalty for former president Yoon Suk-yeol (pic) on charges of masterminding an insurrection over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.
South Korea has not carried out a death sentence in nearly three decades.
In closing arguments at the Seoul Central District Court late on Tuesday, a prosecutor said investigators confirmed the existence of a scheme allegedly directed by Yoon and his former defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, dating back to October 2023, designed to keep Yoon in power.
“Yoon... claims to have committed emergency martial law to protect liberal democracy, but his unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law undermined the function of the National Assembly and the Election Commission... actually destroying the liberal democratic constitutional order,” the prosecutor said.
“The defendant has not sincerely regretted the crime... or apologised properly to the people.”
Yoon shook his head and appeared to chuckle when he heard the sentencing request, while some of his supporters in court also laughed or even muttered expletives, prompting the judge to call for order.
While the botched bid to impose martial law lasted only about six hours, it sent shockwaves through South Korea.
Yoon, 65, has denied the charges. He was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as saying in court that he declared martial law to fend off the “wickedness that would ruin the nation”.
The court will rule on the case on Feb 19. — Reuters
