South Korean prosecutors demand the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol

The special prosecutor's team at the appellate court has once again demanded the death penalty for former President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of organizing a rebellion against the constitutional order.

This was reported by the Yonhap agency.

"There is no reason to be cautious and not impose the death penalty. The main argument against the death penalty is the possibility of a judicial error. This is not such a case," representatives of the prosecution stated. The death penalty has not been carried out in the Republic of Korea since 1997.

In February 2026, the court of first instance sentenced Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment on charges of organizing a rebellion. In December 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol, while serving as president, declared martial law in violation of the constitution and sent troops to the parliament in order, according to the investigation, to prevent lawmakers from overturning his decision.

The prosecution insists that the de facto moratorium on the death penalty should not be considered a reason to refrain from announcing such a punishment. Even during the consideration of the case in the court of first instance, the prosecution acknowledged that the death penalty has not been carried out for several decades, but that such a verdict must be announced in order to demonstrate the inevitability of punishment.

The Criminal Code of the Republic of Korea provides only for the death penalty and life imprisonment for the ringleader of a rebellion. The judicial system in the country consists of three levels.