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Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Denies Insurrection Charges as Trial Begins

Yoon defends his brief martial law declaration in court, claiming it was a symbolic act to address a national crisis, not an attempt to subvert constitutional order.

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Former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min gives a lecture at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, some 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on April 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • Former President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared at Seoul Central District Court on April 14 for the first hearing of his criminal trial on insurrection charges tied to his December 2024 martial law declaration.
  • Prosecutors allege that Yoon mobilized military forces to disrupt constitutional institutions, including the National Assembly, and sought to paralyze state functions.
  • Yoon denied all charges, asserting that his actions were lawful and intended as a peaceful message to alert the public to political gridlock, not an armed uprising.
  • Testimony from senior military officers included claims that they were ordered to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament, contradicting Yoon's assertions of nonviolence.
  • The trial, held under strict security and media restrictions, is expected to be lengthy, with a verdict anticipated around August; Yoon faces potential life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.