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Court authorizes livestreaming ex-President Yoon's verdict hearing

Published: 11 Feb. 2026, 14:40 Updated: 11 Feb. 2026, 17:24

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a trial hearing on insurrection charges at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Dec. 29, 2025. [YONHAP]

The Seoul Central District Court has authorized livestreaming the verdict hearing of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is charged with leading an insurrection by declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.

The verdict hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 19.

The court will also sentence seven senior military and police officials the same day, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho, who are charged with playing a critical role in the insurrection.

The court plans to provide video footage to broadcasters via its own recording equipment for real-time transmission. Some delays may occur depending on technical conditions.

Former President Yoon is accused of conspiring with former Defense Minister Kim and others to incite a riot to subvert the constitutional order by declaring unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law, despite there being no signs of war, armed conflict or a national emergency.

During the process, he allegedly mobilized martial law troops and police to block the National Assembly and obstruct a vote to lift the emergency martial law. There are also indications that authorities attempted to arrest and detain key political figures, including National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, then-opposition party leader Lee Jae Myung, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon and officials from the National Election Commission.

At the final hearing held on Jan. 13, the special counsel team for the insurrection case sought the death penalty, the maximum sentence under the law, for former President Yoon. Special Counsel Cho Eun-seok called the Dec. 3 insurrection a "grave incident that destroyed the constitutional order by anti-state forces.”

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.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]