South Korean prosecutors today requested the death penalty for former president Yoon Suk Yeol, judging him guilty on charges of rebellion over his attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.

“Special prosecutors have sought the death penalty for former president Yoon as the ‘ringleader of the rebellion,’” the Yonhap news agency reported.

On December 3, 2024, Yoon suddenly declared martial law in a televised address, saying he wanted to eradicate “shameless, anti-state forces sympathetic to North Korea.”

Lawmakers opposed what was described as a coup attempt, and Yoon saw parliament suspend his presidential duties. He was arrested—marking the first time in the country’s history that a sitting president was detained—placed in custody, and formally charged.

Rebellion is punishable by death under South Korean law, although the country has not carried out an execution in decades.

In the final arguments at the Seoul Central District Court, a prosecutor stated that investigators had confirmed the existence of a plan allegedly carried out under the direction of Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The plan reportedly dates back to October 2023 and was devised to keep Yoon in power.

Yoon, 65, denies the charges. He has argued that declaring martial law fell within his presidential powers and that the move was intended to sound the alarm over what he described as obstruction of the government by opposition parties.

The Seoul Central District Court is expected to deliver its verdict in February.