Court convicts Yoon Suk-yeol of leading insurrection in South Korea

Seoul court's first verdict says Yoon led an insurrection; Kim Yong-hyun found guilty of key rebel role

Published 2026.02.19. 15:44 | Updated 2026.02.19. 15:51

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol sits in the courtroom as he appears for the first-trial verdict hearing on charges of leading an insurrection related to the Dec. 3 martial law case at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th. /Courtesy of Seoul Central District Court

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Jee Kui-youn) held the first-instance sentencing hearing at 3 p.m. on the 19th in the case charging former President Yoon Suk-yeol as the chief instigator of insurrection.

The court found that the charge of chief instigator of insurrection against the former president Yoon was established. It also found that the charge of engaging in an important mission of insurrection against former Minister of the Ministry of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun was established.

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