Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central District Court in Seoul for leading an insurrection and undermining the nation's constitution. In December 2024, Yoon unexpectedly declared martial law, plunging the country into a deep political crisis, citing alleged infiltration of the opposition by communist and anti-state forces without providing evidence. His plan to have military special forces surround the National Assembly on December 3, 2024, was thwarted within hours when lawmakers repealed the decree, leading to his impeachment and indictment. While found guilty of insurrection, the court rejected the prosecution's claim that he meticulously planned martial law to establish a permanent dictatorship. Yoon also faces a separate five-year sentence for obstructing his arrest and was accused of orchestrating a secret drone operation in North Korea in late 2024 to provoke a military response and legitimize his martial law plans.