A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison for charges related to a military drone operation that prosecutors say was designed to justify his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.
Court Ruling
The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict on Friday, June 12, finding Yoon guilty of abuse of power and aiding the enemy. The case centered on an October 2024 drone incursion into Pyongyang, which the court ruled Yoon conspired in from its early stages.
Prosecutors argued that the drone operation was intended to create conditions that would make martial law appear necessary. Yoon denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial.
Legal Team's Response
Yoon's legal team rejected the allegations, insisting he neither ordered nor approved the drone mission. They contended that the operation was a response to North Korean provocations, such as launching balloons carrying rubbish into South Korean territory, and was unrelated to martial law.
The former president's lawyers plan to appeal the conviction.
Broader Legal Troubles
This sentence adds to Yoon's mounting legal problems. He was removed from office after South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment. Earlier this year, he received a life sentence in a separate case for leading an insurrection connected to the martial law attempt.
Yoon remains in custody and is expected to challenge the latest ruling through the appeals process.
