President Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 25 (presided over by Chief Judge Ji Gwi-yeon) sentenced President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was indicted on charges of being the ringleader of a rebellion (formerly "leader of a rebellion" under the pre-amendment Criminal Act), to life imprisonment on the 19th, and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to 30 years in prison, respectively. 

Consequently, the defendants are expected to file an appeal within a week.

The court ruled, "It is difficult to deny that former President Yoon harbored an intention to prevent and paralyze the National Assembly's functions for a considerable period by sending the military to the National Assembly and arresting key politicians."

While the declaration of martial law itself may not constitute rebellion, the court stated that rebellion charges are established if the purpose is to paralyze the functions of a constitutional institution, adding, "The core of this case is sending the military to the National Assembly." 

Furthermore, the court noted, "Former President Yoon directly and proactively planned the offense and involved many individuals in the crime. The state of emergency led to enormous social costs, and it has been difficult to find any sign of the defendant expressing remorse for that aspect."

However, the court stated that factors considered in sentencing included the fact that the plan did not appear to be meticulously devised, the circumstances of efforts to minimize the use of physical force, and the rarity of instances where live ammunition was carried or direct physical force and violence were employed.