How the Yoon Suk Yeol martial law case unfolded

Yoon declares emergency martial law, which is lifted after the National Assembly votes against it

National Assembly impeaches Yoon

Yoon is arrested, the first sitting president to be arrested

Prosecutors indict Yoon for insurrection

Indictment with detention (as reported by Al Jazeera). Yoon was indicted as ringleader of an insurrection over the martial law decree. He had been in custody since 15 January 2025.

Seoul Central District Court sentences him to life imprisonment for leading an insurrection

First-instance judgment in the insurrection case (as reported by CBS News). Found Yoon guilty of leading an insurrection and sentenced him to life imprisonment, finding it established that he intended to obstruct or paralyse the National Assembly. Prosecutors had sought death.

Seoul Central District Court sentences him to 30 years in the drone infiltration case

First-instance judgment in the drone infiltration case (as reported by Yonhap via The Korea Times). Convicted Yoon of benefiting the enemy and abuse of power, finding that he ordered drone flights into North Korea in October 2024 to create a pretext for martial law, and sentenced him to 30 years. His lawyers argued it was a legitimate military operation and appealed the same day.

Insurrection appeal resumes at the Seoul High Court after a recusal motion is dismissed, and the special prosecutors ask for the death penalty

Special prosecutors again seek the death penalty in final arguments at the Seoul High Court

Closing hearing of the prosecution in the insurrection appeal (as reported by Yonhap via The Korea Herald and by The Fact). The special counsel team again asked for the death penalty, arguing the life sentence was too lenient. The court said it would hold two further hearings, with Yoon's final statement due the following week, before setting a sentencing date.