A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison. On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict in a case where Yoon was accused of ordering drone flights over North Korea. These flights allegedly aimed to justify his declaration of martial law.
Yoon, aged 65, faced sentencing alongside former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun. Previously, Yoon received a life sentence for leading an insurrection after declaring martial law in December 2024. North Korea alleged that South Korea flew drones over Pyongyang, dispersing propaganda leaflets thrice in October 2024.
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In February 2025, South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the Constitutional Court hearing of his impeachment trial in Seoul. At that time, then-Defense Minister Kim initially issued a vague denial, while South Korea’s Defense Ministry stated it could neither confirm nor deny the allegations. Although tensions between the Koreas heightened, the drone incidents did not lead to military clashes.
Prosecutors accused Yoon of attempting to provoke a crisis with North Korea while orchestrating an authoritarian takeover aimed at eliminating political rivals and consolidating power.
South Korean court rules ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty in insurrection trial.
In April 2026, supporters of Yoon staged a rally outside the Seoul High Court. Before declaring martial law, Yoon had delivered a televised address, accusing liberal lawmakers of harboring sympathies for North Korea. He defended his choice to declare martial law by claiming it was within his constitutional powers and aimed to highlight what he saw as obstruction by opposition parties. His imposition of martial law lasted approximately six hours before lawmakers voted to reverse it, following widespread public protests.
Yoon was arrested in July 2025 and is involved in multiple ongoing criminal proceedings. Both Yoon and prosecutors, who sought the death penalty, have appealed the insurrection verdict.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.