On December 3, 2024, in an unexpected announcement of martial law, citizens rushed to the National Assembly, enduring snowstorms while wrapping themselves in emergency blankets outside the presidential residence. These supporters protested over the weekend, singing songs and making appeals against the backdrop of what many deemed an 'illegal coup'. After 444 days, when the court sentenced former President Yoon Suk-yeol to life imprisonment, some citizens shared their relief while others expressed disappointment over the leniency of the sentence, pushing for harsher penalties.

One university student, Moon Ji-yeon, recalled the night of the coup, expressing that the legal definitions provided by the court were more important than the actual sentence given to Yoon. The court acknowledged that the actions constituted a coup, confirming what Moon and others believed all along, emphasizing the necessity of identifying martial law as a coup in light of ongoing denial from some quarters. The court's consistent decisions in previous sentences about the December 3 martial law align with this verdict, marking it a significant legal recognition of those events.

Another protester, Moon Ji-hyun, reflected on their long vigil outside the presidential residence, viewing the court's decision as a vindication of their actions during those cold nights. Though they stressed the importance of the lesson extending beyond Yoon currently, the hope for the ruling serves as a clear warning to all power holders going forward. There remains a sense of shared purpose among activists and citizens eager for the ruling to pave the way toward greater accountability in governance.