Overview
- Yoon Suk Yeol issued a statement asserting his December 2024 declaration targeted “pro‑Chinese, pro‑North Korean and treasonous activities” and urged supporters to “rise again.”
- On the anniversary, thousands of Yoon opponents gathered near the National Assembly and several hundred supporters marched, reflecting persistent political polarization.
- Prosecutors have jailed Yoon and charged him with election fraud, uprising and abuse of office, adding counts such as “favoring the enemy” as they allege he ordered drone flights over North Korea.
- If convicted on the most serious charges, Yoon could face life imprisonment or, in theory, the death penalty, though South Korea has not carried out executions in many years.
- Yoon’s brief martial‑law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024 was overturned within hours by about 190 MPs, his ouster was later upheld by the Constitutional Court, and Lee Jae‑myung won June’s snap election and has since shifted policy toward détente.