Top South Korea court to decide ex-president's martial law case

South Korea's highest court is set to issue a verdict on Thursday (Jul 9) in a case against former president Yoon Suk Yeol over alleged crimes related to his failed martial law declaration and its chaotic aftermath.



The case covers accusations that Yoon had obstructed cabinet deliberations and used forged signatures of the prime minister in the lead-up to the 2024 declaration, as well as using presidential security agents to block his own arrest after lawmakers had nullified it.



The Supreme Court is due to announce its ruling at 2pm local time, following appeals against a lower court's decision.



The disgraced former president is already in detention while he appeals a separate life sentence for leading an insurrection with his martial law declaration, which he insists was motivated by the public interest.



Yoon was ousted over the martial law bid in April 2025, triggering elections that gave the presidency to Lee Jae Myung of the centre-left Democratic Party.



Several senior officials in Yoon's administration are also awaiting Supreme Court rulings in separate cases related to the martial law, including former prime minister Han Duck-soo and his interior minister Lee Sang-min.