A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to an additional 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of ordering drone operations into North Korea, in what prosecutors described as an attempt to provoke Pyongyang and justify a failed martial law declaration.
The Seoul District Court ruled that Yoon directed the October 2024 operation, which involved sending drones across the border, allegedly as part of a broader political strategy linked to his later attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
Yoon had previously declared martial law on December 3, claiming he was responding to “anti-state” forces sympathetic to North Korea. However, the order was quickly reversed following mass public protests, and he was later impeached and jailed for life on insurrection charges related to the failed attempt.
On Friday, the court also convicted several senior officials, including former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former Drone Operations Command head Kim Yong-dae, and former Defence Counterintelligence Command chief Yeo In-hyung, on charges of treason and abuse of power.
The court said the officials had used a military operation as a pretext to provoke North Korea and escalate tensions, increasing the risk of military conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
Prosecutors argued that Yoon bore the greatest responsibility for the operation, while his co-accused received prison sentences ranging from three to 30 years.
Yoon’s lawyers, however, maintained that the drone mission was a legitimate response to North Korean provocations, including the sending of balloons carrying waste materials into South Korea.
The case has deepened political tensions in South Korea, following months of unrest triggered by Yoon’s martial law attempt, which ultimately led to his removal from office and a subsequent political transition.
