"Public reaction in South Korea has been mixed after prosecutors’ unprecedented call for the death penalty for former president Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday evening. Yoon faces charges stemming from his failed 2024 insurrection. The controversy centres around his declaration of martial law in December 2024, which prosecutors have labelled a ‘self-coup’ fuelled by a lust for power. In front of the Seoul Central District Court, members of the public revealed a divided sentiment on the harshest punishment for the disgraced leader. Kim Sung-hoon supported the death penalty, stating, "This isn’t the 1980s anymore. Pointing guns at the public and arguing that it doesn’t qualify for the harshest punishment just because martial law lasted only a few hours - or because no one was harmed - is completely absurd.” He continued, “The intent was clearly insurrection, aimed at holding on to power or pursuing other improper goals. Given that the only possible sentences for insurrection are life imprisonment or the death penalty, I believe it was right to seek the death penalty." Conversely, Park Jong-ho expressed scepticism, noting, "There is merit in considering that the prevailing view regarding ex-President Yoon as a defendant does not necessarily equate to justice. While I'm unsure if this perspective reflects the majority in our country, it seems mistaken and illogical to unilaterally label Yoon’s actions as ‘insurrection’ and push that narrative." Lee Ji-hoon argued that Yoon's accomplishments should not be overlooked, arguing, "The notion of the death penalty is absurd. I don’t support ex-President Yoon 100 percent - he wasn’t perfect - but he achieved more than people realise; this hasn’t been adequately covered by the media.” Lee criticised the current administration, stating, “The present government, which is struggling to function, has degraded the value of our currency to nearly the bottom, making our country appear worse than Venezuela. Instead of acknowledging their own failures, they blame the previous administration to cover up their mistakes. I find this completely unreasonable." Kwak Lee-lim expressed a broader concern for the nation’s state, stating, “At this point, the country feels so broken that none of this even seems to matter anymore. I honestly don’t know.” Yoon was impeached and removed from office in April last year. While the charge carries a potential death sentence, South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997 and is predominantly considered abolitionist in practice. The last former leader to receive a death sentence was Chun Doo-hwan in 1996; that sentence was later commuted. A verdict from the court is expected on February 19."