Legal Proceedings Following Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 Martial Law Declaration

Apr 27, 2026, 11:59

Introduction

The South Korean court system is currently reviewing the legal consequences of the failed martial law decree issued by former President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 3, 2024, as well as the actions taken by his administration.

Main Body

The Seoul High Court recently held the first preliminary hearing for former President Yoon's appeal. This follows a February ruling by a lower court, which sentenced Yoon to life imprisonment for leading an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order. Both the defendant and the special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-suk, have appealed this decision. It is noted that the special counsel had originally requested the death penalty. A second hearing is scheduled for May 7 before the formal trial begins. At the same time, other high-ranking officials are facing legal action. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison. His lawyers have asked the court to verify the legitimacy of the judges through the Constitutional Court. If this request is rejected, the defense plans to contact the Constitutional Court directly. Additionally, six former senior police and military officials are also defendants in the trial. Other former cabinet members are also involved in these legal battles. The special counsel has requested a 20-year sentence for former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, claiming that he helped the insurrection by coordinating prosecutors and checking prison capacities. Furthermore, Park is accused of abusing his power to stop investigations into corruption allegations involving the former president's wife, Kim Keon Hee. Meanwhile, former Minister Lee Wan-kyu faces a requested three-year sentence for allegedly giving false testimony to the National Assembly.

Conclusion

The judiciary is now determining the legality of the administrative actions from December 2024. This process includes the appeal of former President Yoon's life sentence and the pending verdicts for former Ministers Park and Lee.

Vocabulary Learning

appeal (n.)

A request to reconsider a decision上訴

Example:Yoon filed an appeal against the ruling.

corruption (n.)

Dishonest use of power for personal gain貪污

Example:The minister was accused of corruption.

preliminary (adj.)

Initial / before the main event初步的

Example:The court held a preliminary hearing before the main trial.

ruling (n.)

Decision by a judge / official verdict裁決

Example:The court's ruling was to sentence Yoon to life imprisonment.

sentence (n.)

The punishment imposed by a court判刑

Example:Yoon received a life sentence.

Sentence Learning

This follows a February ruling by a lower court, which sentenced Yoon to life imprisonment for leading an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.

Relative Clause: This clause gives extra information about the ruling by specifying what the ruling did.關係子句: 此子句提供關於判決的額外資訊，說明判決所做的事。

It is noted that the special counsel had originally requested the death penalty.

Passive Voice: The sentence uses a passive construction 'It is noted' to focus on the fact rather than who noted it.被動語態: 句子使用被動式 "It is noted"，重點放在事實本身，而非指出誰注意到。

A second hearing is scheduled for May 7 before the formal trial begins.

Passive Voice: The verb 'is scheduled' is in passive form, indicating the action is performed on the hearing rather than who performs it.被動語態: 動詞 "is scheduled" 為被動式，表示行動是對聽證會所做，而非誰執行。

If this request is rejected, the defense plans to contact the Constitutional Court directly.

Conditional + Passive: The clause 'If this request is rejected' sets up a condition using the passive form, while the main clause describes the defense's future action.條件句 + 被動語態: 子句 "If this request is rejected" 建立條件，使用被動式；主句說明防衛方未來的行動。

Meanwhile, former Minister Lee Wan-kyu faces a requested three-year sentence for allegedly giving false testimony to the National Assembly.

Linking Word: The adverb 'Meanwhile' connects this sentence to previous information, indicating a simultaneous or contrasting situation.連接詞: 副詞 "Meanwhile" 將此句與前文連接，表示同時或對比的情況。