A special prosecutor on Thursday sought a 30-year prison term for Yoon Suk Yeol, accused of ordering drones sent into Pyongyang to create a pretext for declaring martial law on Dec. 3. Prosecutors argued the operation aimed to manufacture wartime conditions and was linked to the broader martial law case.
The special counsel team investigating the alleged insurrection, led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok, asked the Seoul Central District Court to sentence Yoon to 30 years and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyeon to 25 years. The request came during closing arguments before the court’s Criminal Division 36, presided over by Judge Lee Jeong-yeop.
Prosecutors described the case as an “anti-state, anti-people crime” in which the commander in chief and the defense minister allegedly tried to create wartime conditions on the Korean Peninsula to meet the requirements for declaring martial law. They said the actions caused real harm to national security, severely undermined military interests, and led to national confusion and a breakdown in discipline.
They said Yoon’s role as commander in chief and alleged leadership of the acts was reflected in the sentencing request, while Kim’s involvement from planning through execution was also considered. Prosecutors said they also weighed the defendants’ conduct during the investigation and trial.
A central issue is whether the “Pyongyang drone deployment” went beyond a military operation and amounted to an attempt to provoke a “North wind” incident to justify martial law. Prosecutors allege Yoon and others ordered multiple drone flights into Pyongyang around October 2024 to raise military tensions.
They also argued that a drone crash led to the disclosure of operational and force-related military secrets, supporting an “aiding the enemy” charge. Under that offense, prosecutors said, a crime can be established even without collusion with an adversary if military interests are harmed or benefits are provided to an enemy state.
Prosecutors said the case was a “preliminary-stage” offense connected to the martial law declaration. They said they set the requested terms in light of earlier sentencing requests in related cases, including the death penalty sought for Yoon on charges of leading an insurrection and life imprisonment sought for Kim on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection.
In related cases, prosecutors have also sought heavy sentences, including 20 years for former Defense Security Command chief Yeo In-hyeong and five years for former Drone Operations Command chief Kim Yong-dae, requested on April 10.
Thursday’s hearing was closed to the public due to military secrets, but the sentencing hearing is expected to be open under the Constitution. With closing arguments complete, attention is turning to the court’s judgment on whether the alleged pretext-building for martial law is established and whether the “aiding the enemy” charge applies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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