A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison Friday. The ruling addresses accusations that he ordered drone flights over North Korea to manufacture a crisis justifying his declaration of martial law.
Yoon, 65, was sentenced alongside former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun by the Seoul Central District Court. Prosecutors argued Yoon attempted to create a border incident to consolidate authoritarian power and remove political opponents.
The charges stem from October 2024, when North Korea accused South Korean drones of dropping propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang. Although tensions escalated, no military clashes occurred. Yoon had previously been sentenced to life in prison for leading an insurrection following his short-lived martial law declaration in December 2024.
Before declaring martial law, Yoon delivered a televised address accusing liberal lawmakers of sympathizing with the North. His attempt lasted roughly six hours before lawmakers voted to overturn it amid mass public protests. Yoon maintains he possessed constitutional authority to act against obstruction by opposition parties.
Yoon was arrested in July 2025 and continues to face multiple criminal proceedings. Both Yoon and prosecutors have appealed the earlier insurrection verdict, with prosecutors having sought the death penalty.