South Korean Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Ex-President Yoon Over Martial Law

South Korean prosecutors have requested the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection related to his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. Yoon, removed from office in April 2025 and currently jailed, denies wrongdoing, asserting his actions were within presidential authority to counter opposition obstruction. The court is expected to rule in February. While the death penalty is legally possible, South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997, making life imprisonment a likely outcome.