Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to 30 years over North Korea drone flights

A South Korean tribunal sentenced erstwhile President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years successful situation Friday successful a lawsuit that accused him of ordering drone flights implicit North Korea successful an effort to warrant his declaration of martial law.

Yoon, 65, was sentenced alongside erstwhile Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun by the Seoul Central District Court.

The ousted president was antecedently sentenced to beingness successful situation for starring an insurrection pursuing his declaration of martial instrumentality successful December 2024.

North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones implicit Pyongyang to driblet propaganda leaflets connected 3 occasions successful October 2024.

SOUTH KOREAN LAWMAKERS SUPPORT SUSPENDING PRESIDENT’S POWERS AFTER SHORT-LIVED MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a proceeding of his impeachment proceedings astatine the Constitutional Court successful Seoul connected Feb. 11, 2025. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Then-Defense Minister Kim initially issued a vague denial earlier South Korea's Defense Ministry said it could neither corroborate nor contradict the allegations.

Although tensions betwixt the 2 Koreas escalated pursuing the incident, the drone flights did not pb to immoderate subject clashes.

Prosecutors accused Yoon of attempting to make a situation with North Korea portion plotting an authoritarian powerfulness drawback aimed astatine removing governmental opponents and consolidating control.

SOUTH KOREAN COURT RULES EX‑PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL GUILTY IN INSURRECTION TRIAL

Supporters of erstwhile South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol signifier a rally extracurricular the Seoul High Court successful Seoul connected April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Before declaring martial law, Yoon delivered a televised code accusing wide lawmakers of sympathizing with North Korea.

Yoon has argued that helium possessed the law authorization to state martial instrumentality and said the determination was intended to gully attraction to what helium viewed arsenic obstruction by absorption parties.

His effort to enforce martial instrumentality lasted astir six hours earlier lawmakers voted to overturn it amid wide nationalist protests.

Yoon was arrested successful July 2025 and continues to look aggregate transgression proceedings.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

South Korea's ousted erstwhile President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives astatine Seoul Central District Court successful Seoul to be his proceedings connected charges related to declaring martial instrumentality connected Dec. 3, 2025. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

The insurrection verdict has been appealed by some Yoon and prosecutors, who had sought the decease penalty.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.