South Korean court sentences ex-President Yoon to 7 years in prison

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption toggle caption Ahn Young-joon/AP SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison for resisting arrest and bypassing a legitimate Cabinet meeting before his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. The conviction for obstruction of justice and other charges comes on top of a life sentence he has already received on rebellion charges stemming from his baffling authoritarian push, which triggered the most serious crisis for the country's democracy in decades. Judge Yoon Sung-sik of the Seoul High Court said the conservative former president sidestepped a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law, falsified documents to conceal the lapse, and deployed security officials "like a private army" to resist law enforcement efforts to arrest him in the weeks following his impeachment. Former President Yoon stood quietly as the verdict was delivered and made no comment. A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holds up his portrait during a rally outside of the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. …