In a landmark ruling on Friday, a South Korean court handed down a 30-year prison sentence to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The judgment stems from charges that he orchestrated drone missions over North Korea to support his imposition of martial law.
The verdict was delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, which also sentenced former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun alongside Yoon. Both were implicated in the controversial actions that marked the end of Yoon’s presidency.
Yoon, aged 65, had already been sentenced to life imprisonment for inciting an uprising following his martial law declaration in December 2024, a decision that sparked widespread unrest.
The tensions escalated when North Korea accused South Korea of deploying drones to distribute propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang on three separate occasions in October 2024.
In a related image, South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen attending a hearing at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on February 11, 2025. The photo captures a moment from his impeachment trial. (Photo credit: Lee Jin-man/AP)
Then-Defense Minister Kim initially issued a vague denial before South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it could neither confirm nor deny the allegations.
Although tensions between the two Koreas escalated following the incident, the drone flights did not lead to any military clashes.
Prosecutors accused Yoon of attempting to create a crisis with North Korea while plotting an authoritarian power grab aimed at removing political opponents and consolidating control.
SOUTH KOREAN COURT RULES EX‑PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL GUILTY IN INSURRECTION TRIAL
Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in Seoul on April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
Before declaring martial law, Yoon delivered a televised address accusing liberal lawmakers of sympathizing with North Korea.
Yoon has argued that he possessed the constitutional authority to declare martial law and said the move was intended to draw attention to what he viewed as obstruction by opposition parties.
His attempt to impose martial law lasted roughly six hours before lawmakers voted to overturn it amid mass public protests.
Yoon was arrested in July 2025 and continues to face multiple criminal proceedings.
South Korea’s ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at Seoul Central District Court in Seoul to attend his trial on charges related to declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2025. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
The insurrection verdict has been appealed by both Yoon and prosecutors, who had sought the death penalty.
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