Yoon Suk Yeol

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Sentenced to 5 years in prison (appealing), facing death penalty request in separate insurrection trial

South Korea hasn't executed anyone in 28 years. On January 13, 2026, prosecutors asked a Seoul court for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's death sentence; three days later, another court handed down a five-year sentence for obstruction of justice—the first of eight verdicts from his December 3, 2024 martial law declaration.

Updated May 21

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Removed from office (April 2025); facing insurrection-related prosecutions; verdict set for January 16, 2026

South Korea just made the quiet part of the 2024 martial-law crisis unmistakably loud: the country's top police officer is out for good. On December 18, 2025, the Constitutional Court removed National Police Agency chief Cho Ji-ho, ruling he helped former President Yoon Suk Yeol's power grab by using police to block lawmakers from reaching the National Assembly floor.

Updated May 15