South Korea Martial Law

Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday remained defiant in his first reaction to a life sentence imposed by a Seoul court for his short-lived declaration of martial law but didn’t clearly say whether he would appeal. In a statement released by his lawyers, Yoon denounced the judiciary and maintained that his poorly-planned power grab in December 2024 was “solely for the sake of the nation and our people.” Yoon, who was removed from office amid a political crisis set off by his unsuccessful power grab, has long rejected the eight criminal cases brought against him for what prosecutors described as a coup attempt and other allegations.