Former South Korean president sentenced to 30 years for flying drones over North Korea
The Seoul Central District Court has sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to 30 years in prison in a case involving the intrusion of military drones into North Korean airspace.
The court found Yoon guilty of abuse of power and aiding the enemy. According to the prosecution, he authorised the drone operation in the autumn of 2024 to provoke a response from the DPRK and use the rising tensions as a pretext for imposing martial law.
What the court found
According to Yonhap, the court concluded that Yoon Suk-yeol ordered military drones to be sent to North Korea to escalate tensions between the two countries.
This relates to events in 2024 which, according to the prosecution, were intended to create a political and security justification for declaring martial law on 3 December of that year.
The court noted that such actions went beyond the lawful use of military force and could have jeopardised South Korea’s national security.
What sentences did the other defendants receive?
Along with Yoon Seok-yol, former Defence Minister Kim Young-hyun was also sentenced. He was likewise sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.
The case also involved former head of military counter-intelligence Yeo In-hyun and former commander of the drone operations unit Kim Yeon-de. Before the verdict was announced, Yonhap reported that the court was also due to rule on their cases.
What Yoon’s defence says
The former president’s lawyers have stated that they will appeal the verdict.
The defence insists that the use of drones was a response to North Korean provocations, specifically the launching of balloons carrying rubbish towards South Korea. The Associated Press reports that Yoon’s lawyers described the verdict as undermining national security.
Yoon himself had previously denied that he had ordered or approved the drone operation.
How this relates to martial law
On 3 December 2024, Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in South Korea. It lasted for around six hours and was lifted following a parliamentary decision.
Yoon was later removed from office following his impeachment. In February 2026, a court had already sentenced him to life imprisonment in a case of insurrection linked to the attempt to impose martial law. He is also appealing this decision.
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