Court hears final arguments in Yoon insurrection trial

Jan 09, 2026, 08:14 am

		0
Former President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks at a continued hearing on insurrection charges at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Dec. 29 last year. / Yonhap

Attention is focused on whether the special prosecution team will seek the death penalty at Friday’s closing arguments in the first-instance trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is charged as the ringleader of an insurrection.

Given that the case stems from the core proceedings related to the Dec. 3 martial law episode, the prosecution’s sentencing request—and the court’s eventual ruling—are expected to have far-reaching implications for related trials.

The Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Ji Gui-yeon, will convene the hearing at around 10 a.m. The session will include the special prosecutors’ final arguments and sentencing request, defense counsels’ closing statements, and Yoon’s final statement.

Closing arguments will also be held the same day for other key defendants accused of playing major roles in the alleged insurrection, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former military intelligence chief Noh Sang-won, and former National Police Agency chief Cho Ji-ho. With eight defendants in total, proceedings are expected to run late into the evening.

If Yoon is found guilty of leading an insurrection, the statutory penalties are limited to three options: death, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment without hard labor.

Should the special prosecution team seek the death penalty, Yoon would become only the second South Korean president to face such a demand, following former President Chun Doo-hwan. In the 1990s, prosecutors sought the death penalty for Chun for charges related to the Dec. 12 military coup and the May 18 Gwangju uprising, while requesting life imprisonment for former President Roh Tae-woo.

The trial court at the time sentenced Chun to death and Roh to 22 years and six months in prison.

Ironically, during his university years, Yoon once presided over a mock trial in which he sought life imprisonment for Chun. Now, as a former president standing trial himself, Yoon faces the prospect of a life sentence—or worse—as the court prepares to hear final arguments in one of the most consequential cases in recent South Korean history.

#Yoon Suk-yeol #insurrection charges #special prosecutor #closing arguments #Seoul Central District Court