South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.

The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.

Mr Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.

He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.

In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.

While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.

Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to the withholding of investments, damaging South Korea’s reputation as a political and economic model for the region.

Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon.

(dpa/NAN)