Seoul, Jan. 14 -- Special counsel Cho Eun-seok's team on Tuesday requested that the court sentence former President Yoon Suk Yeol to death for the crimes of insurrection and abuse of authority as South Korea's top official.

If convicted, Yoon would become the second former president in the country's history to be sentenced as an insurrection leader.

Former President Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to death for crimes including insurrection, but that sentence was later reduced to life in prison in 1996, though the charges were unchanged. He was pardoned the following year. Former President Roh Tae-woo, Chun's successor and co-defendant, was sentenced to 17 years in prison as a participant in the insurrection.

"Insurrection is a crime that j...