Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday, February 19, 2026, for orchestrating an insurrection and abusing his power by attempting to impose martial law in December 2024. This verdict, delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, spared him the death penalty, which had been sought by the prosecution. Yoon's actions plunged South Korea into an unprecedented political crisis, leading to his suspension by the National Assembly, arrest, impeachment in April 2025, and ultimately, the victory of his rival Lee Jae Myung in the subsequent early presidential election in June. The 65-year-old former president maintained his innocence, claiming martial law was necessary to highlight the opposition party's obstruction of his government.