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Ousted South Korean President Yoon given prison term for drone flights over Pyongyang
TL;DR
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and ex-defense minister Kim Yong Hyun were sentenced to 30 years in prison for ordering drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024. The court ruled they aimed to provoke North Korea and justify martial law in South Korea.
Key points
- Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to 30 years in prison
- Ordered drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024
- Charged with aiding an adversary and abusing power
- Court ruled actions aimed to provoke North Korea
- Moves undermined South Korea's military operations
Mentioned in this story
Yoon Suk YeolKim Yong HyunPyongyangSouth Korea
South Korea's ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives to attend his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, May 12, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/Pool AP
Ahn Young-joon/Pool AP
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and his former defense minister were sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday in a case alleging Yoon ordered drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024 to heighten tensions with North Korea and justify declaring martial law at home.
The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon and his ex-defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun, guilty of aiding an adversary and abusing their power, saying they sought to provoke North Korea into launching armed attacks or other serious provocations against South Korea to manufacture a national emergency. It said the moves harmed South Korea's military interests by exposing its capabilities, undermining its ability to conduct future operations and prompting North Korea to strengthen its defense posture.
The same court earlier sentenced Yoon to life in prison for a rebellion conviction over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.
North Korea accused Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets three times in October 2024. Kim, who was South Korea's defense minister at the time, issued a vague denial before the Defense Ministry said it could neither confirm nor deny the allegations. Tensions rose sharply but did not lead to any military clashes.
Yoon's lawyers criticized the latest ruling, saying the drone flights were a response to North Korea flying thousands of trash-carrying balloons into the South earlier in 2024. They argued that a guilty verdict would undermine South Korea's security interests but did not immediately say whether they would appeal.
Investigators led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk had sought a 30-year prison term for Yoon, accusing him of trying to create a warlike situation between the Koreas while plotting an authoritarian push to remove his political opponents and "monopolize" power. They had sought a 25-year prison term for Kim Yong Hyun, a key confidant of Yoon who helped plan and mobilize forces for Yoon's martial law declaration.
Q&A
What were the charges against Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Yong Hyun?
Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Yong Hyun were charged with aiding an adversary and abusing their power by ordering drone flights over Pyongyang.
Why did Yoon Suk Yeol order drone flights over North Korea?
Yoon ordered the drone flights to heighten tensions with North Korea and justify declaring martial law in South Korea.
What was the court's ruling regarding the impact of Yoon's actions?
The court found that Yoon's actions harmed South Korea's military interests by exposing its capabilities and prompting North Korea to strengthen its defense posture.
