A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to an additional 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of ordering a covert drone operation into North Korea in an attempt to provoke a military response.The ruling, delivered by the Seoul District Court on Friday, comes as Yoon is already serving a life sentence for insurrection linked to his failed declaration of martial law in December 2024.
Prosecutors argued that Yoon authorised drones to fly into North Korea in October 2024, scattering propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang. They alleged that the operation was designed to trigger retaliation from North Korea and create a justification for imposing martial law weeks later.When Yoon declared martial law on December 3, 2024, he claimed the move was necessary to protect South Korea from “anti-state” forces sympathetic to North Korea. However, the order was swiftly withdrawn following widespread public protests and political opposition.The court found Yoon guilty of treason and abuse of power, ruling that he had used a military operation to deliberately increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
“The defendants used the guise of a military operation to induce provocations from North Korea with the aim of creating a state of emergency,” the court said in its judgment.Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also sentenced to 30 years in prison, while former intelligence chief Yeo In-hyung received a 15-year sentence. Former Drone Operations Command chief Kim Yong-dae was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for five years.
Yoon’s legal team defended his actions, arguing that the drone flights were a legitimate response to North Korea’s campaign of sending balloons carrying waste and propaganda materials across the border into South Korea.
Relations between the two Koreas deteriorated sharply in 2024 after North Korea accused Seoul of flying drones into its capital. Pyongyang described the incident as a serious provocation that could have sparked military conflict.The court concluded that Yoon bore the greatest responsibility for the operation, stating that his actions significantly increased the risk of confrontation between the two countries.
In addition to his life sentence for insurrection, Yoon had previously been sentenced to five years in prison for abuse of power and obstructing his own arrest.
His failed martial law declaration triggered months of political turmoil in South Korea, ultimately leading to his impeachment and removal from office. The crisis ended with the election victory of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party secured a strong mandate from voters.The latest ruling further deepens Yoon’s legal troubles and marks another major chapter in one of the most dramatic political scandals in South Korea’s modern history.
