Former South Korean President Yoon Imprisoned 30 Years Over Drone Case

South Korean Court Convicts Former President Yoon Suk Yeol

A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison on Friday for charges linked to his ordering an incursion of military drones over North Korea. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of aiding the enemy and abuse of power, stating he had conspired in the October 2024 drone incursion from the outset.

The ruling adds to a series of judgments against the ousted conservative leader, who was once South Korea’s top prosecutor. His martial law order plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy into its deepest political turmoil in decades. Yoon had denied any wrongdoing over the drone incursion, with his lawyers stating he neither ordered nor approved the operation.

Prosecutors sought a 30-year prison term for Yoon in April. In February, a South Korean court sentenced Yoon to life in prison after finding him guilty of leading an insurrection linked to the martial law attempt. He was removed from office last year after the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment, triggering a snap election won by liberal President Lee Jae Myung. Yoon, who is already in custody, can appeal Friday’s lower court ruling.