Ex-South Korean president gets life imprisonmentAP, SEOULFormer South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol was yesterday sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in a dramatic culmination to the nation’s biggest political crisis in decades. Yoon was ousted from office after a baffling attempt to overcome an opposition-controlled legislature by declaring martial law and sending troops to surround the National Assembly on Dec. 3, 2024. Supporters of former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol gather outside Seoul Central District Court yesterday. Prosecutors said it was clear he was attempting to disable the legislature and prevent lawmakers from lifting the measure through voting, actions that exceeded his constitutional authority even under martial law. The Seoul Central Court has also convicted two members of Yoon Suk-yeol’s Cabinet in other cases.

Source: Taipei Times February 19, 2026 16:09 UTC