Yoon Suk-yeol Faces 8 Cases, Sentence Increased in Obstruction of Justice Appeal, Will Appeal Again
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's sentence in the obstruction of justice case was increased from 5 to 7 years in the appellate court. His legal team plans to appeal to the Supreme Court. This is one of eight criminal lawsuits he faces, and he is already serving a life sentence for rebellion.
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- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 20:14
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Seoul, 29th, comprehensive foreign reports) The appellate court today ruled on the obstruction of justice case involving former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, increasing his original 5-year sentence to 7 years. His legal team has stated that they will appeal to the Supreme Court, and this is just one of the eight criminal lawsuits Yoon Suk-yeol is embroiled in.
According to comprehensive reports from Agence France-Presse and Yonhap News Agency, in the first trial in January this year, the court found that Yoon Suk-yeol (Yoon Suk Yeol) used presidential security personnel in January last year to obstruct his own detention by authorities. Both Yoon Suk-yeol and the prosecution appealed.
Yoon Suk-yeol argued that his detention order was based on an illegal investigation; the special prosecution team, however, believed that Yoon Suk-yeol's crime was extremely serious and should be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Seoul High Court judges today announced a 7-year prison sentence for the defendant, stating that the defendant not only attempted to obstruct prosecutors and others from legally executing detention but also issued illegal orders to public officials of the presidential security service, intending to use them as his private bodyguards, despite them being public servants.
Yoon Suk-yeol appeared in court today wearing a black suit and white shirt, listening to the results with a calm expression.
In the first trial, the court found Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of abuse of power for only convening some state councilors when holding a state council meeting to discuss emergency martial law. The appellate court upheld this part of the guilty verdict.
In addition, regarding Yoon Suk-yeol's order to issue his defense of declaring martial law to foreign media, the appellate court overturned the first-instance not-guilty verdict and ruled him guilty.
As for the first-instance court's conclusion that Yoon Suk-yeol prepared forged documents but did not actually use them, the appellate court supported this conclusion.
Reuters reported today that Yoon Suk-yeol's legal team stated they would appeal to the Supreme Court, criticizing the appellate court for making a mistake by applying rigid legal principles to an event that could be considered a political act.
This case is just one of the eight lawsuits Yoon Suk-yeol has faced since stepping down in April last year. He has been imprisoned since July last year.
● Yoon Suk-yeol is already serving a life sentence
Yoon Suk-yeol's attempted imposition of martial law in 2024 was deemed a rebellion, a crime far more serious than obstruction of justice. He has already been sentenced to life imprisonment for this and is currently serving his sentence.
In December of that year, Yoon Suk-yeol suddenly delivered a televised national address at night, declaring emergency martial law. He stated that due to the opposition controlling the National Assembly and "paralyzing the government" through anti-state acts related to North Korea, martial law was to eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the free constitutional system.
However, martial law lasted only about 6 hours. National Assembly members rushed to the National Assembly building overnight and rejected martial law in an emergency meeting.
Yoon Suk-yeol's actions sparked protests and stock market panic, caught allies like the United States off guard, and awakened South Koreans' uneasy memories of military coups decades ago.
In the following months, Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached, removed from office, and tried on a series of charges stemming from his declaration of martial law.
Yoon Suk-yeol also appealed the rebellion charge, claiming that his actions were "entirely for the country."
In addition, Yoon Suk-yeol is facing another trial for allegedly ordering military drones to invade North Korea in October 2024.
Yonhap News Agency reported that Yoon Suk-yeol allegedly deliberately provoked North Korea to justify the implementation of emergency martial law. The special prosecution team believes that the drone crashed near Pyongyang, leading to the leakage of military secrets such as South Korean military operations and combat capabilities, and that Yoon Suk-yeol and others are guilty of general acts benefiting the enemy.
The special prosecution team sought a 30-year sentence in that case. Yoon Suk-yeol's legal team denied the allegations, stating that Yoon Suk-yeol did not order or approve the action that the prosecution claimed.
● Both husband and wife are embroiled in lawsuits
Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, former First Lady Kim Keon-hee, has also been imprisoned on corruption charges.
In January this year, Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for bribery, but the appellate court yesterday overturned her not-guilty verdict on stock manipulation, increasing her sentence to 4 years.
Kim Keon-hee's lawyer also told Agence France-Presse that they would appeal this verdict to the Supreme Court.
(Central News Agency, Seoul, 29th, comprehensive foreign reports) The appellate court today ruled on the obstruction of justice case involving former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, increasing his original 5-year sentence to 7 years. His legal team has stated that they will appeal to the Supreme Court, and this is just one of the eight criminal lawsuits Yoon Suk-yeol is embroiled in.
According to comprehensive reports from Agence France-Presse and Yonhap News Agency, in the first trial in January this year, the court found that Yoon Suk-yeol (Yoon Suk Yeol) used presidential security personnel in January last year to obstruct his own detention by authorities. Both Yoon Suk-yeol and the prosecution appealed.
Yoon Suk-yeol argued that his detention order was based on an illegal investigation; the special prosecution team, however, believed that Yoon Suk-yeol's crime was extremely serious and should be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Seoul High Court judges today announced a 7-year prison sentence for the defendant, stating that the defendant not only attempted to obstruct prosecutors and others from legally executing detention but also issued illegal orders to public officials of the presidential security service, intending to use them as his private bodyguards, despite them being public servants.
Yoon Suk-yeol appeared in court today wearing a black suit and white shirt, listening to the results with a calm expression.
In the first trial, the court found Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of abuse of power for only convening some state councilors when holding a state council meeting to discuss emergency martial law. The appellate court upheld this part of the guilty verdict.
In addition, regarding Yoon Suk-yeol's order to issue his defense of declaring martial law to foreign media, the appellate court overturned the first-instance not-guilty verdict and ruled him guilty.
As for the first-instance court's conclusion that Yoon Suk-yeol prepared forged documents but did not actually use them, the appellate court supported this conclusion.
Reuters reported today that Yoon Suk-yeol's legal team stated they would appeal to the Supreme Court, criticizing the appellate court for making a mistake by applying rigid legal principles to an event that could be considered a political act.
This case is just one of the eight lawsuits Yoon Suk-yeol has faced since stepping down in April last year. He has been imprisoned since July last year.
● Yoon Suk-yeol is already serving a life sentence
Yoon Suk-yeol's attempted imposition of martial law in 2024 was deemed a rebellion, a crime far more serious than obstruction of justice. He has already been sentenced to life imprisonment for this and is currently serving his sentence.
In December of that year, Yoon Suk-yeol suddenly delivered a televised national address at night, declaring emergency martial law. He stated that due to the opposition controlling the National Assembly and "paralyzing the government" through anti-state acts related to North Korea, martial law was to eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the free constitutional system.
However, martial law lasted only about 6 hours. National Assembly members rushed to the National Assembly building overnight and rejected martial law in an emergency meeting.
Yoon Suk-yeol's actions sparked protests and stock market panic, caught allies like the United States off guard, and awakened South Koreans' uneasy memories of military coups decades ago.
In the following months, Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached, removed from office, and tried on a series of charges stemming from his declaration of martial law.
Yoon Suk-yeol also appealed the rebellion charge, claiming that his actions were "entirely for the country."
In addition, Yoon Suk-yeol is facing another trial for allegedly ordering military drones to invade North Korea in October 2024.
Yonhap News Agency reported that Yoon Suk-yeol allegedly deliberately provoked North Korea to justify the implementation of emergency martial law. The special prosecution team believes that the drone crashed near Pyongyang, leading to the leakage of military secrets such as South Korean military operations and combat capabilities, and that Yoon Suk-yeol and others are guilty of general acts benefiting the enemy.
The special prosecution team sought a 30-year sentence in that case. Yoon Suk-yeol's legal team denied the allegations, stating that Yoon Suk-yeol did not order or approve the action that the prosecution claimed.
● Both husband and wife are embroiled in lawsuits
Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, former First Lady Kim Keon-hee, has also been imprisoned on corruption charges.
In January this year, Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for bribery, but the appellate court yesterday overturned her not-guilty verdict on stock manipulation, increasing her sentence to 4 years.
Kim Keon-hee's lawyer also told Agence France-Presse that they would appeal this verdict to the Supreme Court.