January 14, 2026 | 11:19 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The South Korean prosecutors demanded the death penalty for the former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday night for the December 2024 military emergency declaration, which plunged the country into chaos.
The request came at the end of Yoon's trial on Tuesday night. The court is expected to deliver its verdict on February 19.
Yoon triggered a political crisis when he announced the end of civilian rule in December 2024 and sent troops into parliament to enforce it.
However, his efforts failed, and he became the first sitting president of the country to be detained when he was arrested last January.
Yoon's trial for rebellion, abuse of power, and other violations related to the declaration concluded on Tuesday after an 11-hour trial as reported by CNA.
During the final hearing, the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eun-suk stated that Yoon declared the military emergency "with the purpose of remaining in power for a long time by seizing the judiciary and legislature," according to South Korean media outlets as cited by CNBC.
In the closing statement, the prosecutor accused Yoon as the mastermind of a "insurrection" motivated by "lust for power aimed at dictatorship and long-term rule."
The prosecutor alleged that Yoon showed no "remorse" for actions threatening the "constitutional order and democracy."
"The greatest victims of the insurrection in this case are the people of this country," the prosecutor said.
"There are no mitigating circumstances to be considered in sentencing, and instead, a severe punishment must be imposed."
Meanwhile, Yoon's defense team has made dramatic arguments in an attempt to help him and his alleged accomplices.
On Tuesday, they likened Yoon, also a former prosecutor, to historical figures like the Italian scholars Galileo Galilei and Giordano Bruno, who were unfairly punished.
"The majority does not always reveal the truth," they said.
Nevertheless, if Yoon is found guilty and sentenced to death, it is highly unlikely that the punishment will be carried out. This is because South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.
The prosecutor also demanded a 10-year prison sentence for Yoon on charges of obstructing justice, with the Seoul court expected to deliver a verdict in the case this Friday.
And he faces trial on charges of aiding the enemy related to alleged orders to fly drones over North Korea to bolster his military emergency declaration.
Defense Minister's Demand
The prosecutor also asked for the former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to be sentenced to life imprisonment last Friday, but it was postponed after a 15-hour deliberation - it took eight hours just to examine the evidence for Kim.
Kim's lawyer insisted that his "short tongue" prevented him from reading faster.
The current trial features eight defendants considered leaders of the military emergency imposition efforts, including Yoon and Kim.
If found guilty, Yoon will become the third South Korean president to be convicted of rebellion, alongside two military leaders associated with the 1979 coup.
Yoon is charged with leading a rebellion, a crime not covered by presidential immunity and carrying a maximum penalty of death.
If executed, this would be South Korea's first execution in almost 30 years.
Amnesty International has classified the country as "abolitionist in practice," noting that although South Korea still retains the death penalty, it has not executed anyone since 1997.
Read: South Korean Prosecutors Seek 10-Year Sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol in Martial Law Case
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South Korean Prosecutors Seek 10-Year Sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol in Martial Law Case
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