Prosecutors have asked for South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol to be handed a death sentence if he is found guilty over his botched attempt to impose martial law.
A court in Seoul heard closing arguments in Yoon's trial, in which he was accused of being the 'ringleader of an insurrection'.
The charge stems from Yoon's attempt in December 2024 to impose military rule in South Korea - an act that lasted just hours but plunged the country into political turmoil. He was later impeached by parliament and detained to face trial.
Yoon has denied the charges against him, arguing that martial law was a symbolic gesture to draw public attention to the wrongdoings of the opposition party.
Leading an insurrection - the most serious charge against Yoon - carries the death penalty or life imprisonment, and under South Korean law, prosecutors must ask the judge for one or the other for the crime of insurrection.
South Korea has not executed anyone in nearly 30 years. In 1996, former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan was given the death penalty for seizing power in a military coup in 1979, though his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
The prosecutors in Yoon's case argue that although no one was killed in his martial law attempt, Yoon's intent was no less violent. They called to the stand the military commander who testified that Yoon had ordered the arrest of lawmakers, and presented a memo from one of the planners that contained suggestions of disposing of numerous individuals including journalists and legislators.
Yoon's trial is intertwined with those of other senior officials in his administration, with a verdict anticipated in February.
On 3 December 2024, Yoon declared martial law, claiming it was to safeguard the nation, but many viewed it as an authoritarian maneuver amid his political struggles. This incident marked the first time a sitting South Korean president faced arrest.
While currently detained and fighting multiple legal battles, Yoon continues to hold a base of loyal supporters who view him as a martyr for opposing the liberal Democratic Party.
