Ex-South Korean President Gets Additional 7 Years In Jail Over Life Sentence

The Seoul High Court added seven years to Yoon Suk Yeol's prison term for obstruction of justice and other charges, on top of the life sentence he already faces for rebellion related to the December 2024 actions.

A court increased to four years the sentence of Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, for charges including accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church and involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme.

Prosecutors in a separate trial requested a 30-year prison term for Yoon, signaling broader charges under consideration related to tensions with North Korea and martial law efforts.

Yoon Suk Yeol was re-arrested in July 2025 as part of ongoing criminal proceedings related to his administration.

Liberal rival Lee Jae Myung won an early presidential election held in June 2025, signaling a change in leadership amid the crisis.

The Constitutional Court formally removed Yoon from office in April 2025 after impeachment and related proceedings.

A court released Yoon in March 2025, following his detention earlier in January 2025.

Yoon was detained later in January 2025, and was subsequently released by another court in March 2025.

Following his suspension, Yoon refused to comply with a Seoul court's warrant to detain him for questioning, triggering a standoff as investigators arrived at the presidential residence and were blocked by security forces and barricades.

A lower court in January 2025 sentenced Yoon to five years in prison but partially cleared him of abuse-of-power charges tied to the Cabinet meeting ahead of the martial law declaration.

Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended from office after being impeached by the liberal-led legislature and faced formal removal later by the Constitutional Court.

Yoon Suk Yeol issued a martial law decree on December 3, 2024, which triggered a severe political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets.