South Korean prosecutor seeks death for Yoon

An independent counsel on Tuesday demanded the death sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on rebellion charges in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.

Yoon, who was removed from office last April and is in jail, faces eight trials over various criminal charges related to his martial law debacle and other scandals that flared during his time in office. Charges that he directed a rebellion are the most significant ones.

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team requested the Seoul Central District Court to sentence Yoon to death, describing his decree as “anti-state activities” and “a self-coup.” Cho’s team alleged that Yoon aimed to prolong his rule by neutralising the constitutional structure of state governance systems.

Speaking at the same courtroom later, Yoon slammed investigations into his rebellion charges, saying they’ve been “frenzied" and that they have involved “manipulation” and “distortion.”