Yoon Insurrection Appeal Verdict Set for Jan 26 After Final Hearing

The Seoul High Court will deliver its verdict in former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection appeal on Jan 26, 2027, after the final hearing in the case wrapped up on Thursday (Nov 5), the Seoul Economic Daily reported. The ruling is scheduled for 2:30pm. Yoon, who faces a prosecution demand for the death penalty, used an 80-minute final statement to insist that his declaration of martial law was a constitutional power.

Yoon insurrection appeal enters final stage

The closing session before the court’s Criminal Division 12-1 opened at 10am on Thursday and covered Yoon, former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun and other defendants, according to broadcaster SBS. Yoon’s lawyers delivered closing arguments until 4pm. After a break, the defendants began their final statements at 4:35pm, starting with former Defence Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won, with Yoon speaking last of the eight defendants.

SBS said the appeal had run for about half a year since its first hearing on May 14. In February 2026, the trial court found Yoon guilty as the ringleader of an insurrection and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

In his statement, Yoon argued that no riot had taken place, that troops sent to the National Assembly were there to maintain order, and that he did not disable the legislature or the National Election Commission, the Seoul Economic Daily reported. He also denied ordering the arrest or removal of lawmakers. “I never once thought of long-term dictatorship,” he told the court.

Death penalty sought by special counsel

The insurrection special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk asked the court on Oct 29 to overturn the life sentence and sentence Yoon to death, the same penalty it sought at the first trial. The team described the Dec 3 martial law move as treason of the highest order and said the lower court’s sentence was too lenient.

The special counsel also sought life imprisonment for Kim Yong-hyun, 30 years for Noh Sang-won, 20 years for former National Police Agency commissioner general Cho Ji-ho, 15 years for former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency commissioner Kim Bong-sik and 12 years for Mok Hyun-tae.

Verdict due in January

The three-judge panel hearing the case is made up of Lee Seung-cheol, Cho Jin-gu and Kim Min-a. Under South Korea’s criminal code, the only sentences available for the ringleader of an insurrection are death, life imprisonment or life imprisonment without forced labour, the Seoul Economic Daily said. The appeal ruling is now due on the afternoon of Jan 26 next year.

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