South Korean prosecutor seeks death penalty for ex-President Yoon over martial law declaration: 'Self-coup'

A South Korean tribunal heard arguments Tuesday seeking the decease punishment for erstwhile President Yoon Suk Yeol, arsenic prosecutors accused the ousted person of orchestrating a rebellion done his arguable martial instrumentality declaration successful December 2024.

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk asked the Seoul Central District Court to enforce the sentence, arguing that Yoon’s actions amounted to "anti-state activities" and describing the decree arsenic a "self-coup."

Yoon, a blimpish who was removed from bureau past spring, remains successful custody portion facing aggregate transgression proceedings tied to the martial instrumentality occurrence and different controversies from his presidency. Prosecutors accidental the rebellion complaint carries the astir terrible imaginable punishment.

SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTORS INDICT IMPEACHED PRESIDENT WHO DECLARED MARTIAL LAW

Then South Korea's ousted erstwhile President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of orchestrating a rebellion erstwhile helium declared martial instrumentality connected Dec. 3, arrives to be his proceedings astatine the Seoul Central District Court successful Seoul, South Korea, Monday, May 12, 2025.  (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Cho’s squad argued successful tribunal that Yoon sought to prolong his clasp connected powerfulness by undermining South Korea’s law strategy of governance.

Yoon has rejected the accusations, telling the tribunal that the investigations into his behaviour person been "frenzied" and marked by "manipulation" and "distortion."

He has maintained that the declaration of martial instrumentality was intended to alert the nationalist to what helium viewed arsenic the increasing menace posed by the absorption Democratic Party, which utilized its legislative bulk to artifact his governmental agenda. 

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces 8 trials implicit assorted transgression charges successful transportation with his arguable martial instrumentality decree and different scandals. (AP)

Yoon argued that the workout of statesmanlike exigency powers cannot beryllium treated arsenic rebellion nether the law.

The tribunal is expected to present a verdict adjacent month. Legal experts person said a beingness condemnation is much apt than execution, noting that South Korea has not carried retired a decease punishment since 1997.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT REMOVED FROM OFFICE FOUR MONTHS AFTER DECLARING MARTIAL LAW

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol criticized investigations connected his rebellion charges, saying they person been "frenzied" and that they person progressive "manipulation" and "distortion." (AP)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Yoon is the archetypal South Korean president who has faced a imaginable decease punishment aft leaving bureau since Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to decease successful 1996 for assorted crimes. Chun’s decease condemnation was aboriginal commuted to beingness successful prison, and helium was subsequently pardoned and freed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.