Ex-President Yoon appeals 5-year sentence for obstructing arrest

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol appealed on Monday after being sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant in a first-instance ruling.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at his trial on charges of leading an insurrection at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 29, 2025. [SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol appealed on Monday after being sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant in a first-instance ruling.

Yoon’s legal team said Monday it had filed a notice of appeal with the Seoul Central District Court during a news conference at the Life Business Center in Seocho District, southern Seoul.

The Seoul Central District Court on Friday sentenced Yoon to five years in prison on charges that included obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), as well as special obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.

Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison term.

“The ruling is unacceptable because it ignored everything that came out during the examination of evidence,” Yoon’s legal team said on Friday.

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 JEONG HYE-JEONG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]