On the 19th, former South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol was sentenced to life in prison for his role as a leader of a rebellion, which has drawn significant international media attention. CNN reported this as a major developing story, asserting that the ruling concludes one of South Korea's largest political crises. CNN referenced the state of emergency declared in December and highlighted the threat that the political turmoil posed to decades of established democracy in South Korea.

AP News reported on Judge Ji Gwi-yeon's ruling, which convicted Yoon of attempting to unlawfully seize power using the military and police to occupy the progressive National Assembly and detain politicians, stating he was guilty of treason. While prosecutors sought the death penalty, many analysts suggested that the absence of substantial loss of life during Yoon's attempt at power consolidation led to the life sentence instead.

Prominent international agencies like Reuters, DPA, Kyodo, and Xinhua quickly reported on the verdict. The New York Times outlined that Yoon's declaration of a state of emergency threatened decades of hard-won democracy following significant sacrifices post-military rule, calling the verdict a potential closure for many South Koreans exhausted by ongoing chaos. However, it also noted the challenges ahead in healing divisions in a severely polarized nation where Yoon still retains a considerable support base.