1 year after martial law, Seoul courts still grapple with fallout

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol testifies at Seoul Central District Court, Nov. 19. Courtesy of Seoul Central District Court

One year after the country found itself suddenly under martial law, an event that shook Korea’s political system and precipitated the removal of a sitting president, the investigations and trials stemming from that night still dominate Seoul’s courtrooms.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, removed from office by impeachment for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, now stands as a criminal defendant facing multiple indictments. He appears in court almost daily as three special counsel teams pursue charges including leading an attempted insurrection, violating national security laws and abusing his presidential authority.

The inner circle that once governed alongside him has also been dispersed into related legal cases, with several former senior officials either indicted or detained. As additional evidence and testimonies emerge, the full scope of the events continues to come into clearer view.

Yoon Suk Yeol

Yoon now sits at the center of the unfolding legal drama. The main trial accuses him of orchestrating the plan to impose martial law.

The court has continued hearings throughout the winter recess to keep the case moving forward. Prosecutors are expected to deliver their sentencing recommendation in early January, followed by closing arguments. A first-instance ruling is anticipated around mid-February. Testimony has centered on whether the military and intelligence directives issued in the hours before the attempt were lawful or politically driven.

Separate proceedings address the so-called Pyongyang drone affair, in which he is accused of mishandling intelligence and directing improper responses inside government channels.

Taken together, the former president is fighting on several fronts, with three special counsel teams coordinating their inquiries as court dates converge.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo delivers his final statement during a sentencing hearing at Seoul Central District Court, Nov. 26. Courtesy of Seoul Central District Court

Han Duck-soo

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who briefly served as acting head of state after Yoon’s removal, is also on trial. He is charged with aiding the attempted imposition of martial law, carrying out key duties tied to the operation and committing perjury during Yoon’s impeachment. His final hearing concluded in late November and a verdict is expected in late January.

Footage from the presidential office has figured prominently in the case. The video, recorded in the reception hall and office suite on the evening of Dec. 3, shows Han handling documents related to the martial law plan — despite his earlier testimony that he had never seen them.

After the footage was submitted, Han conceded that his previous statements were inaccurate. Prosecutors say he failed in his role as the Cabinet’s vice chair by neglecting to check the president’s actions and by signing documents prepared outside established procedures.

Han has remained free while awaiting judgment.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun speaks as a witness during the fourth hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, Seoul, Nov. 23. Courtesy of the Constitutional Court

Kim Yong-hyun

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is among the highest-ranking officials now in detention. During the hearings, prosecutors presented video showing him moving between rooms and signaling with his fingers to indicate how many Cabinet members were still needed for quorum at the emergency meeting that preceded the declaration.

The footage also shows him directing ministers into the president’s office, reviewing documents and holding further discussions after the brief Cabinet session ended.

Prosecutors cast Kim as a central player in advancing the president’s plan. His case has been folded into the broader proceedings tied to Yoon’s trial, with sentencing requests expected after the consolidated hearings conclude in January. Kim denies any wrongdoing but remains in custody awaiting a verdict.

Kim Keon Hee, the detained spouse of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives for her hearing at Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, Seoul, Sept. 24. Joint Press Corps

Kim Keon Hee

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee is also in detention as her trials advance. In addition to a stock manipulation case in which she was already indicted, she faces charges over allegedly accepting expensive items from figures linked to the Unification Church, possible violations of political funding laws and her role in informal networks around the presidency.

Special counsel investigators questioned her again after a recent sentencing recommendation, focusing on items including a gold turtle ornament, a luxury necklace and other gifts prosecutors say may constitute improper benefits.

Her court schedule overlaps with the broader cases stemming from the events of Dec. 3. Investigators are examining whether any of her contacts or communications had implications for national security matters or influenced decision-making inside the presidential office. She denies the allegations. A ruling is expected early next year, within the limits of her detention period.

Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, testifies as a witness during a hearing for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s trial on charges of leading an attempted insurrection and abusing presidential authority at Seoul Central District Court, Oct. 24. Courtesy of the Seoul Central District Court

Yeo In-hyung

Yeo In-hyung, chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command who has been described in court as the plan’s de facto operational head, remains one of the most crucial witnesses in the consolidated cases after several court appearances.

Yeo has shaped much of the judicial record with his accounts of being instructed to draft emergency decrees, ready military units for deployment to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and identify sites to hold detained political figures.

Yeo had denied any wrongdoing, saying he acted under orders from senior leadership, but changed his stance after additional detention and has expressed remorse for his role.

Other officials, including former Capital Defense Command leader Noh Sang-won, have also been tied to the operational chain of command. Their responsibilities — largely involving troop movements and coordination — remain under review as the merged proceedings move forward.

A year after the martial law fiasco, nearly every major figure once connected to the presidency or the national security establishment is now before the courts.

Evidence including presidential office video files, draft documents and witness testimony has sharpened the picture of the crucial hours leading up to the decree. Still, key questions of intent and responsibility remain for judges to resolve. With major rulings expected in January and February, the coming months will mark a decisive stage in the legal reckoning after an episode that reshaped Korea’s political landscape.