Seoul: A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Seok-yeol to 30 years in prison for his involvement in a drone case.
According to Thai News Agency, the Seoul Central District Court found Mr. Yoon guilty of abuse of power and aiding the enemy. The court determined that he was complicit in the conspiracy to send military drones over to Pyongyang, with the intent to justify declaring martial law in December 2024. The court indicated that Mr. Yoon was involved in the operation from its inception in October 2024.
Mr. Yoon has denied these allegations. His legal team maintains that he neither ordered nor authorized the drone operation. They argue that the operation was a defensive response to North Korea's actions, which included sending balloons filled with garbage across the border for months, and was unrelated to the martial law declaration. Despite these claims, prosecutors have pursued a 30-year prison sentence for Mr. Yoon since April.
This ruling is part of a series of legal challenges faced by Mr. Yoon, who was impeached and previously served as South Korea's Attorney General. His declaration of martial law resulted in significant political unrest, marking one of the most severe crises in the country in recent years. Earlier, in February, Mr. Yoon received a life sentence for leading a rebellion tied to the martial law attempt.
Mr. Yoon was ousted last year following a no-confidence motion, which led to a snap election and the subsequent victory of liberal President Lee Jae-myung. Currently imprisoned, Mr. Yoon retains the right to appeal this latest court decision.