Prosecutors in South Korea are demanding a 30-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to Yonhap news agency reports from Friday. The charges center on accusations that he directed a drone mission over Pyongyang as part of a scheme to justify his martial law declaration in December 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court will issue its verdict at a future date yet to be announced.
This criminal case represents just one of eight legal proceedings currently facing Yoon, who was removed from office last year after his shocking martial law announcement that stunned a nation widely regarded as among Asia’s strongest democracies.
According to prosecutors, the drone mission escalated tensions between the two Koreas militarily, and when one of the aircraft went down, it created the possibility that classified military intelligence about the operation and South Korean defense capabilities could be compromised.
Through his legal team, Yoon has rejected all accusations, maintaining that he never engaged in any conduct that might have sparked armed conflict with North Korea.
The former leader faced indictment in November on multiple charges, including providing assistance to an enemy nation – a charge that can be applied even without direct collaboration if South Korea’s military security is compromised or if an opponent receives aid.
