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South Korean Court Sentences Ex-President Yoon to Five Years for Obstructing Arrest

The first-instance verdict marks the first ruling in a broader set of prosecutions linked to his brief 2024 martial-law bid.

Overview

  • Judges in Seoul’s Central District Court found Yoon guilty of obstructing an arrest after his security detail blocked investigators on January 3, 2025.
  • Prosecutors had sought a 10-year sentence, but the court imposed five years in the first of his cases to reach a verdict.
  • The court found he prepared and destroyed a revised martial-law decree, attempted to delete secure call-log records, and violated seven ministers’ rights by excluding them from a December 3, 2024 meeting.
  • The bench affirmed the Anti-Corruption Office’s authority to probe rebellion allegations, validating the arrest and search warrants used in January 2025.
  • His legal team says it will appeal next week as other trials proceed, including a rebellion case where special prosecutors have requested the death penalty and a ruling is expected on February 19.