Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison in Drone Case

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on Friday (12/6). Yoon was found legally and convincingly guilty of ordering an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) attack on North Korean territory in order to create a pretext for declaring martial law.

Alongside Yoon, former Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun was also handed a similar sentence of 30 years in prison. The verdict against Kim was heavier than the special prosecutor’s previous demand for a 25-year prison sentence.

In its ruling, the court stressed that the drone attack instruction was deliberately designed to escalate cross-border tensions. The artificially created national emergency was then used as the basis for the declaration of martial law in December 2024.

“The defendants exploited soldiers by disguising personal interests as legitimate military operations. This betrays the fundamental trust that military force should only be used for lawful purposes and national defence,” the court statement emphasised, as quoted by Kyodo News Agency.

The court also highlighted the long-term impact of the scandal, expressing concern that the damage to public trust in military institutions would hinder the effectiveness of legitimate military operations in the future.

This 30-year sentence adds to a long list of punishments for Yoon Suk Yeol. In February 2026, he was already sentenced to life imprisonment for his role as the mastermind of a rebellion through the failed martial law decree. The former South Korean leader remains in detention and is currently facing a series of other trials related to his tenure.