S Korea Supreme Court Upholds Yoon's Seven-Year Sentence

South Korea's Supreme Court on July 10 upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, confirming his conviction related to the brief imposition of martial law in 2024. The court found Yoon guilty of obstructing justice by blocking investigators from detaining him and falsifying documents to cover procedural flaws. This ruling aligns with an April decision by the Seoul High Court, which increased Yoon’s sentence from five years after finding additional charges against him.

The verdict also upheld findings that Yoon had violated Cabinet members' rights to deliberate before declaring martial law and spread false information to foreign media outlets. According to Reuters, prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison term, accusing Yoon of abusing his power. The martial law declaration, which lasted only hours, plunged South Korea into political turmoil, paralyzing government functions and financial markets before being repealed by lawmakers.

A Seoul district court on July 13 further sentenced Yoon to two years in prison for accepting illegal political funds in the form of free opinion polls. The court convicted Yoon on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and ordered a forfeiture of 13.96 million won, stating that his actions sowed distrust in politics and undermined public trust in democracy. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team indicted Yoon on charges of colluding with his wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, and receiving 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won for free from the power broker Myung Tae-kyun between April 2021 and March 2022. The court sentenced Myung to 18 months in prison on the same charges.

Yoon remains in detention and is appealing other convictions, including a life sentence for rebellion tied to the martial law declaration. He also faces charges related to ordering drone flights to heighten tensions with North Korea and allegations of corruption involving his wife. Yoon's legal team expressed plans to challenge the constitutionality of Thursday’s ruling through constitutional review procedures.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes amid broader debates over judicial independence in South Korea, as President Lee Jae Myung prepares to appoint new justices to expand the court from 14 to 26 members by 2028. Legal experts argue that the chief justice's power to recommend nominees is crucial for maintaining judicial autonomy.

South Korean Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae appointed Justice Roh Kyung-pil as the new head of the National Court Administration, filling a vacancy that had lasted about four months. The Supreme Court announced Friday that Roh, 62, will begin his term Tuesday. The post oversees personnel and budgets for courts nationwide.

Roh’s appointment comes at a critical time as stalled Supreme Court justice nominations may gain momentum. The selection process is underway for successors to retiring justices, with the National Assembly set to confirm final appointments after public comments are reviewed. Meanwhile, legislative efforts aim to abolish the National Court Administration and expand judicial reforms.