Yoon disbarred after seven-year prison term finalized
The Korean Bar Association revoked former President Yoon Suk Yeol's law license after the Supreme Court upheld his seven-year sentence for obstructing an arrest warrant and related offenses.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, appears at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on July 27.SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has been disbarred after his seven-year prison sentence became final for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and other offenses.
The Korean Bar Association (KBA) recently canceled Yoon's attorney registration following an order from the Ministry of Justice, according to the legal community on Wednesday.
The Attorney-at-Law Act states that a lawyer who receives a finalized prison sentence is disqualified from practicing law. The Justice Minister is therefore required to order the KBA to revoke the lawyer's registration.
The Supreme Court on July 9 upheld a lower court ruling sentencing Yoon to seven years in prison for special obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority.
The former president was found guilty of obstructing the CIO's attempt to execute an arrest warrant against him in January last year. He was also convicted of infringing on Cabinet members' rights to deliberation by convening only a select group of ministers ahead of declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.
The court also found him guilty of drafting and later destroying a false proclamation document to make it appear that martial law had been declared through a duly signed official order after the measure had already been lifted.
The Korean Bar Association building in Seocho District, southern SeoulNEWS1
Yoon completed the Judicial Research & Training Institute's 23rd class in 1994 and began his career as a prosecutor.
In 2002, he worked for about a year as an attorney at law firm Bae, Kim & Lee before returning to the prosecution service. He later served as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and prosecutor general.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
