00:00Former South Korean President Yoon Sung-yeol has been found guilty of leading an insurrection
00:05and has been sentenced to life in prison over his martial law declaration in 2024.
00:11It was a move that shocked the nation and triggered the country's most severe political crisis in
00:16decades. Persecutors had asked for the death penalty, saying Yoon posed a serious threat
00:21to the country's constitution. Yoon was indicted last year on charges of insurrection after
00:27suspending civilian rule in December 2024. The decision sparked chaos with thousands
00:32of protesters clashing with police and soldiers. The short-lived decree led to Yoon's impeachment
00:38and the first arrest and indictment of a sitting South Korean president.
00:42Yoon has denied any wrongdoing. He said his declaration was a desperate bid to counter
00:47what he claimed were North Korea sympathizers trying to paralyze his government. His lawyers
00:53called the ruling politically motivated and said they would fight until the end.
00:58One lawyer said the legal team will discuss with Yoon whether to file an appeal. If they do,
01:03the case would go to a higher court and could take months to resolve. For now, the verdict and
01:09sentence leaves South Korea with another leader ending a career in disgrace, continuing the nation's
01:16cycle of political polarization.
01:18You
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