Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to 30 years in South Korea
Yoon Suk Yeol sentencing: Seoul court gives ex-South Korean president 30 years Drone flights and martial law allegations drive a major appeal that could reshape politics
A court in Seoul sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison on Friday over allegations that he ordered drone flights into North Korea to support his martial law declaration.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the sentence alongside that of former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun. Prosecutors said the drone flights were part of an attempt to create a security crisis and strengthen Yoon's hold on power after he declared martial law in December 2024.
North Korea had accused South Korea of sending drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets in October 2024. The case is part of a wider legal battle for Yoon, who was earlier sentenced to life in prison for insurrection and was arrested in July 2025. Both Yoon and prosecutors have appealed the insurrection ruling.