South Korean prosecutors seek death penalty for Yoon (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Prosecutors in South Korea are seeking the death penalty for impeached President Yoon Suk-kyo. The country hasn't carried out an execution in about 30 years, and Yoon might not get the sentence that prosecutors are asking for. So what's behind this shocking decision? Less than two years ago, the country was plunged into political turmoil after Yoon declared martial law, a move that shocked the public and raised concerns about democratic stability in this major Asian economy and key U.S. ally. Now, Yoon is facing multiple criminal charges, and the most serious is leading an insurrection. No one was killed during the brief martial law declaration, which lasted only about six hours. But prosecutors argue Yoon's intent, which they say was an attempt to monopolize and stay in power, was serious enough to justify the maximum sentence. Yoon denies all charges. He says declaring martial law was within his presidential authority and claims it was intended to draw attention to political gridlock caused by the opposition. Despite losing power, Yoon retained staunch support, particularly among conservative groups. The court is expected to rule on the case on February 19th.