Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen on a TV screen showing his trial on obstruction of justice and other charges stemming from his 2024 declaration of martial law at Seoul Station in the capital on Jan. 16, 2026. (Photo by Yonhap)

A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison in the first of several trials stemming from his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024.

On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court handed down a five-year term after finding Yoon guilty of obstructing justice, including ordering Presidential Security Service agents to block authorities from arresting him following his impeachment, as well as fabricating official documents and bypassing required legal procedures for imposing martial law, such as convening a full cabinet meeting.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun stated that Yoon had abused his authority and showed no remorse, repeating only "hard-to-comprehend excuses."

The judge emphasized that Yoon, despite his supreme duty to uphold the Constitution and rule of law as president, had instead disregarded them, causing grave damage to the legal system. The ruling described his culpability as "extremely grave."

Yoon, a former prosecutor and legal expert who maintains his innocence and insists his actions were within presidential constitutional authority, has seven days to file an appeal.

His supporters, gathered outside the courthouse, fell silent upon hearing the verdict before erupting into chants of "Yoon again!"

Yoon`s legal team criticized the decision as politicized, arguing it blurs the line between legitimate exercise of presidential powers in a crisis and criminal liability.

One lawyer warned that if upheld, the ruling would prevent future presidents from acting decisively in emergencies.

This verdict is the first in a series of eight criminal trials facing the ex-president. His brief martial law decree on December 3, 2024, sparked massive protests, a parliamentary standoff, his eventual impeachment, removal from office, and arrest.

In a separate, more serious case, prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for Yoon as the alleged "ringleader of an insurrection" related to the martial law attempt, citing his lack of remorse and the severe threat posed to democratic rule. That ruling is scheduled for February 19.

Legal experts consider an actual execution highly unlikely, as South Korea has maintained an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment since 1997, with no executions carried out in nearly three decades.

In another related case, Yoon faces charges of ordering drone flights over North Korea to deliberately heighten tensions and create a pretext for declaring martial law on December 3, 2024.