Prosecutors claim that Yoon Suk-yeol attempted to obstruct his arrest by barricading himself in the presidential residence in January 2025. Additionally, he is accused of violating the rights of nine government members who were not summoned to the meeting regarding the declaration of martial law.
These charges were announced at the final hearing of the case, which is the first of four criminal trials related to the declaration of martial law in December 2024.
Yoon Suk-yeol, who is currently in prison, completely denies all the charges against him. A verdict is expected to be delivered around January 16.
Recall that in early December 2024, Yoon Suk-yeol declared a state of emergency in the country, justifying it by the need to combat "pro-North Korean anti-state forces" and calling on the opposition to cease actions that hinder the functioning of the state. In response, the parliament voted for the president's impeachment, and he was arrested in January.
In March 2025, Yoon Suk-yeol was released from custody, but in July he was arrested again, as the prosecution feared he might destroy evidence. In November 2025, the prosecution brought new charges against him for abuse of power and aiding the enemy, related to an operation involving sending drones to North Korea in October 2024. According to the prosecution, Yoon Suk-yeol organized a secret operation using drones to provoke a response from North Korea in order to use this as a pretext for declaring martial law.
