South Korean Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Former President Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korean prosecutors have requested the capital punishment for former president Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of leading an insurrection over his failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024.

The demand was made during final arguments at the Seoul Central District Court, where Yoon is on trial for charges that carry a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk described the ousted leader as the «ringleader of an insurrection» who sought to retain power by unlawfully seizing control of state institutions.

Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court in April 2025 after parliament overturned his martial law declaration. He was arrested earlier that year and remains in detention while facing multiple trials. A verdict in the insurrection case is expected next month, with separate proceedings also under way over allegations he authorised military drone operations involving North Korea.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that French far-right leader Marine Le Pen returned to court in Paris on Tuesday as judges began hearing her appeal against a conviction that could determine whether she is eligible to run in the 2027 presidential election.