Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial on charges of leading an insurrection. This marked the first judicial condemnation 443 days after the ‘December 3 Martial Law’ incident of 2024, igniting strong public sentiment across the nation.
On Thursday, the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Ji Gwi-yeon, handed down a life sentence to Yoon for his role as the mastermind of the insurrection. The court ruled that the act of mobilizing the military to paralyze the National Assembly constituted a rebellion aimed at undermining the constitutional order. While Yoon avoided the death penalty, the court held him strictly accountable for disrupting the nation’s constitutional framework.
In the same ruling, the court sentenced former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, identified as the ‘second-in-command’ of the martial law, to 30 years in prison. Former Army Intelligence Commander Roh Sang-won, suspected of being part of the martial law’s inner circle, received an 18-year sentence.
Reactions in the Capital Region and Yeongnam Varied Between Calls for Severe Accountability and Concerns Over Insufficient Consideration
As news of the verdict spread, reactions ranged from sighs to applause in major cities like Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Vendors watching the live broadcast at a traditional market in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, applauded, deeming it the expected outcome. A fruit vendor in his 50s remarked that it’s unacceptable for a president to declare martial law when he should be focusing on people’s livelihoods. A life sentence is a fitting punishment. In contrast, a college student in his 20s interviewed at Suwon Station argued that the court lacked consideration for the political context, calling for a reassessment in the appeals process.
In Daegu, often considered a conservative stronghold, public reaction remained relatively calm. A vendor in her 60s at Seomun Market said that if someone commits a crime, they should face the consequences. However, some voiced concerns that a life sentence for a bloodless insurrection seemed excessive. In Busan, citizens expressed mixed feelings, with some calling it a just verdict while others felt the first trial’s outcome was overly harsh.
Honam Region, Disappointment Over the Absence of a Death Sentence, with May 18 Organizations Stating Verdict Failed to Meet Demands of Social Justice
In Gwangju, a city deeply scarred by the historical trauma of martial law, the predominant reaction to the life sentence was one of disappointment.
Choi, a 64-year-old who watched the trial at Gwangju’s U-Square terminal, shared that for Gwangju residents, even hearing the word martial law triggers trauma. This should have been dealt with more severely than during the Chun Doo-hwan era. It’s hard to accept a life sentence instead of the death penalty.
Organizations such as the May 18 Memorial Foundation criticized the verdict, stating that this is a very disappointing ruling considering the public’s sense of justice and the weight of historical responsibility. They argued that the judiciary failed to meet societal expectations for justice. Attorney Kim Jeong-ho, chair of the May 18 Special Committee of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch of Minbyun, expressed his disappointment, suggesting that the court seemed to have reached a compromise.
Gangwon and Jeju, Reactions Included a Sense of Just Desserts, Along With Hopes for a New Chapter in South Korean History
In Gangneung, Yoon’s maternal hometown, the response was cold. A tourist in his 40s at Gangneung Station remarked on how can the leader of an insurrection who has regressed South Korea to its 1970s-80s status only receive a life sentence? A 63-year-old from Chuncheon emphasized that the prosecution must appeal so that the maximum penalty is imposed in the Supreme Court.
At Jeju Airport, travelers observing the verdict expressed sentiments of reaping what one sows while hoping for national unity. A man in his 30s returning to Gumi stated that it hopes this ruling marks the beginning of a country where its children can live freely and peacefully without oppression.