Ousted South Korean President Yoon Gets 30-Year Prison Term for Drone Flights Over Pyongyang
Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his former defense minister were sentenced to 30 years in prison on 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.
A South Korean court on Friday, June 12, 2026, sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and his former defense minister to 30 years in prison. The case centers on allegations that Yoon ordered drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024.
Prosecutors argued that the drone missions were intended to escalate tensions with North Korea, providing a pretext for Yoon to declare martial law domestically. Yoon was removed from office following the political fallout from his attempt to impose martial law.
The sentencing concludes a high-profile trial. Both defendants were found guilty and received the maximum penalty under the charges.
