Former South Korean President Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Provocation Against DPRK
In South Korea, former President Yoon Suk Yeol has received another harsh sentence. The Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of orchestrating a provocative drone operation against North Korea and sentenced him to an additional 30 years in prison. This term is added to the previous life sentence the ex-president received in another case.
Yoon Suk Yeol. Photo: AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, Pool, File
According to the court's findings, in October 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the launch of South Korean drones into North Korean airspace. According to the prosecution, the purpose of this operation was to provoke a sharp reaction from Pyongyang, create tension on the Korean Peninsula, and use it as a pretext for introducing martial law in South Korea on December 3, 2024.
The court concluded that the accused used the cover of a military operation not to defend the country, but to artificially create a crisis situation that could justify the introduction of an emergency regime within the state.
The former head of state was found guilty of charges of cooperation with the enemy and abuse of official powers. The court's verdict fully coincided with the demand of special prosecutor Cho Eun Seok.
In addition to Yoon Suk Yeol, other former high-ranking officials were also punished in this case. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun received 30 years in prison — even more than the prosecutor requested, who demanded 25 years. Former head of the Counterintelligence Command of the Ministry of Defense, Yeo In-hyun, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and former head of the Drone Operations Command, Kim Yong-dae, received a suspended sentence: three years in prison with a five-year probationary period.
This is not the first court verdict against the former president. Earlier, in February 2026, the court found him guilty of organizing an insurrection in connection with an attempt to impose martial law in December 2024 and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Yoon Suk Yeol disagreed with this decision and filed an appeal.
The events that led to the criminal prosecution of the former head of the country began after he declared martial law on December 3, 2024. However, the South Korean parliament deemed this move illegal and impeached him. In April 2025, the Constitutional Court finally stripped Yoon Suk Yeol of his presidential powers.
After losing his position, several criminal investigations were launched against him. In addition to cases of insurrection and the use of drones, he is also accused of abuse of power and attempts to obstruct the work of parliament during the introduction of martial law. Some of these processes are still ongoing.
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