SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A special counsel in South Korea said on Wednesday it had appealed the life sentence imposed on former President Yoon Suk-yeol over his insurrection verdict stemming from his martial law declaration.
The special counsel said that the decision was made after reviewing the first-instance rulings, citing concerns over the court's fact-finding and legal interpretations, Yonhap News Agency reported. The appeal covers both the convictions and sentencing of the defendants, whom prosecutors argue played key roles in the alleged attempt to undermine the constitutional order through the brief declaration of martial law in December 2024.
Yoon, identified by prosecutors as the central figure in the case, was previously sentenced to life imprisonment by Seoul Central District Court. The special counsel maintained that the gravity of the charges and the impact on the country's democratic system warranted further judicial review by a higher court.
Yoon was accused of orchestrating the insurrection by declaring an unconstitutional emergency martial law despite the absence of war, incident or equivalent national emergencies.
Yoon was also charged with mobilizing martial law troops and police to obstruct the National Assembly's resolution to lift the martial law and attempting to detain key political figures, such as the leaders of the main political parties and the parliamentary speaker.
The emergency martial law was declared by Yoon on the night of Dec. 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April of 2025, officially removing him from office.
Yoon was indicted under detention in January of 2025 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted. ■
