A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison in a case related to military drone flights over North Korea. Yoon Suk Yeol, former President of South Korea, was sentenced by the Central District Court in Seoul in a case concerning military drone operations over North Korea. According to the court ruling, the case is linked to a 2024 drone operation in which South Korean military forces reportedly dispatched several drones into Pyongyang’s airspace. The court said the action was carried out with the aim of escalating tensions with North Korea and creating a political environment to justify the declaration of martial law. Prosecutors during the trial accused Yoon of abuse of power and actions against national security, and had sought a severe sentence. His defence lawyers rejected the allegations, saying the drone operations were conducted in response to provocative actions by North Korea. The ruling comes despite Yoon having previously been sentenced to life imprisonment in another case related to an unsuccessful attempt to declare martial law in 2024.
