South Korea's Former Justice Minister Sentenced to 25 Years for Martial Law Role

Jun 22, 2026

South Korea's former Justice Minister, Park Sung-jae, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law declaration in December 2024. The court found Park guilty of involvement in an "insurrection." The sentence is one of several lengthy prison terms handed down to Yoon's subordinates, while Yoon himself is serving a life sentence for masterminding the short-lived takeover attempt.

Park Sung-jae conviction

▪Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence for Park Sung-jae, arguing he showed no remorse.
▪The Seoul Central District Court found Park Sung-jae guilty of involvement in an "insurrection."
▪Former South Korean Justice Minister Park Sung-jae was sentenced to 25 years in prison on June 22, 2026.

Yoon martial law declaration

▪Yoon Suk Yeol was also given a separate 30-year jail term for sending drones to North Korea to "manufacture a national crisis" as a pretext.
▪Yoon Suk Yeol is serving a life sentence for masterminding the martial law declaration.
▪Former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in December 2024, but parliament forced him to lift it within hours.

Insurrection charges

▪During the martial law attempt, Park Sung-jae checked on prison capacity for the potential arrest of anti-government figures.
▪As justice minister, Park Sung-jae instructed his ministry to cooperate with the martial law command.
▪Prosecutors argued that Park Sung-jae had "reduced the law to a tool of insurrection in his abuse of power."

Subordinate sentencing outcomes

▪Former prime minister Han Duck-soo is serving a 15-year prison sentence for his role in the martial law attempt.
▪Yoon Suk Yeol's wife, Kim Keon Hee, is serving a four-year term for stock manipulation and bribery unrelated to the martial law incident.
▪Former interior minister Lee Sang-min is serving a nine-year prison sentence for his involvement.
▪A former defense minister was sentenced to three years in prison for revealing classified military information to further the insurrection.

Political crisis aftermath

▪The declaration triggered protests, caused the stock market to plunge, and caught key allies like the United States off-guard.
▪The December 2024 martial law declaration plunged South Korea into an unprecedented political crisis.