SEOUL, July 9 — South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a seven-year prison sentence handed down to former president Yoon Suk-yeol for obstructing authorities' attempts to arrest him over his short-lived imposition of martial law in 2024.
The ruling today came after the Seoul High Court, in April, increased his prison sentence to seven years from five, following its finding that Yoon was guilty of additional charges.
The Supreme Court added that there was no misunderstanding of any legal interpretations in the previous court's ruling.
It upheld the appeals court's finding that Yoon was also guilty of fabricating documents, failing to follow the legal process required to impose martial law, which must be discussed at a formal cabinet meeting, and spreading false information to foreign media outlets.
After the decision, his lawyers said they would seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court.
"We will challenge the constitutionality of this ruling through constitutional review procedures, including a constitutional complaint," a lawyer for Yoon said.
Prosecutors, who had sought a 10-year prison term in the case, accused Yoon of abusing his power and hurting the public.
Yoon, 65, was also sentenced to life in prison in February on charges of masterminding an insurrection tied to his martial law declaration.
Facing seven other trials, he has been in jail since July 2025.
