An appellate court in South Korea on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of perjury charges stemming from his testimony during the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The Seoul High Court found that Yoon did not appear to have given false testimony, upholding a lower court's earlier acquittal from May.

What the Appellate Court Found

The central question before the court was whether Yoon had lied when he testified that he intended to convene a Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law on 3 December 2024. The Seoul High Court concluded that, given his status and experience, he likely understood the legal requirement and tried to meet the minimum threshold for such a declaration.

In its ruling, the court stated: 'It is difficult to believe that the defendant, given his status and experience, did not know a declaration of martial law should be preceded by deliberations at a Cabinet meeting. In fact, he likely tried to meet the minimum requirements for declaring martial law.'

The Perjury Charges Against Yoon

The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk had indicted the former president on perjury charges, alleging that Yoon initially summoned only six Cabinet members to his office before changing course — reportedly at Han's suggestion — to assemble enough members for a full Cabinet quorum. Prosecutors had requested a fine of 10 million won (approximately US$7,332) if convicted.

The appellate court, however, sided with Yoon, ruling that he appeared to have independently intended to call additional Cabinet members, separate from any suggestion made by Han.

Yoon's Broader Legal Jeopardy

The perjury acquittal represents only one thread in a web of legal proceedings surrounding the jailed former president. A district court handed Yoon a life sentence in February after convicting him of leading an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law — a move that triggered his removal from office. The appellate trial on that far weightier insurrection conviction is currently underway.

This comes amid continued political turbulence in South Korea, where Yoon's brief martial law declaration in late 2024 upended the country's political landscape and triggered a constitutional crisis. Notably, the perjury case was the lesser of the charges he faces, and its dismissal does nothing to alter his imprisonment.

What Comes Next

With the insurrection appellate trial still ongoing, Yoon's legal future hinges on the outcome of that proceeding. A reversal of the life sentence would be extraordinary; legal observers in Seoul note that insurrection convictions at this scale are rare in South Korean judicial history. The outcome will have lasting implications for how South Korea's courts interpret executive authority and constitutional limits.