In South Korea, a court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison after it found him guilty of leading an insurrection. While it’s a dark mark for the country, some argue it’s a bright spot for its young democracy. Nick Schifrin reports on how a few short, tumultuous hours challenged South Korea.
Amna Nawaz:
In South Korea, a court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison after it found him guilty of leading an insurrection. While it is a dark mark for the Congress, some argue it’s a bright spot for its young democracy.
Nick Schifrin details how a few short, tumultuous hours challenged South Korea.
Nick Schifrin:
Today in Seoul, they watched and cheered as if it were a play-by-play, a judge making the final call in the sentencing of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
And after Yoon’s fate was sealed, his critics celebrated.
Song Ji-Seon, Seoul Resident (through interpreter):
I was watching the martial law, which is something I’d only seen in history books, unfold in real time. I hoped for a harsher punishment so that history wouldn’t repeat itself.
Nick Schifrin:
His supporters were left shocked.
Yoon Kab-Keun, Attorney for Yoon Suk Yeol (through interpreter): Watching what appears to be a collapse of rule of law today, I’m compelled to question whether we should proceed with an appeal or continue to participate in these criminal proceedings at all.
Nick Schifrin:
It was December 2024 when President Yoon declared martial law. His middle-of-the-night announcement sent members of the military to Parliament. Protesters protected the building and their democracy, inside, the only thing that stopped soldiers from Parliament floor, furniture deployed by opposition staffers.
That bought time until a unanimous vote lifted martial law. From start to finish, it was only six hours, but it was, and has been, a test of South Korean democracy.
Frank Jannuzi, President and CEO, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation: To me, the most remarkable story is the resilience and the sustainability of South Korean democracy in the face of unprecedented challenges.
Nick Schifrin:
Frank Jannuzi is the president of the Mansfield Foundation, which works on U.S. relations with Asia. He calls Yoon’s the most momentous domestic trial in more than 30 years in a country that has a history of presidents who’ve been impeached, jailed or overthrown.
Frank Jannuzi:
Over the last 14 months, South Korea has emerged from this process with due process sustained, rule of law sustained. Democracy itself was in the docket in this trial. And the South Korean people affirmed the value of that democracy, the resilience of that democracy, without personalizing the crime.
Nick Schifrin:
The outcome for Yoon could have been much worse. The prosecution asked for the death penalty. And it wasn’t only Yoon. Five other former officials were also convicted, including the former defense minister, who will spend the next 30 years in prison.
Current President Lee Jae Myung, Yoon’s longtime rival, has reframed from politicizing the trial, says Jannuzi.
Frank Jannuzi:
This allowed him to cool down the temperature a bit and also allowed him to focus really on where he needed to focus, which was his foreign policy priorities, sustaining an outreach to Japan and reassuring the United States that South Korea would be a loyal, faithful ally.
Nick Schifrin:
Over the past year, South Korea’s faced pressure over trade and promised to increase defense spending. It’s been a balancing act for a democracy that has now sent a former president to prison for life.
For the “PBS News Hour,” I’m Nick Schifrin.
