On June 12, former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a scandal involving the infiltration of drones into North Korea.
The Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Lee Jeong-yeop, found Yoon guilty of charges including treason and abuse of power.
Yoon was not alone in facing judgment; former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun also received a 30-year sentence. Former Director of the National Defense Security Command, Yeon In-hyung, was sentenced to 15 years, while former Drone Operations Commander Kim Yong-dae received a three-year sentence with a five-year probation.
The defendants were accused of directing the infiltration of drones into Pyongyang around October 2024 to create a pretext for declaring martial law. Kim, who executed the operation, faced additional charges of abuse of power and destruction of military property.
The treason charge applies regardless of any collusion with the enemy; it punishes actions that harm South Korea's military interests or provide military advantages to hostile nations.
Earlier, the special prosecutor's team for the insurrection case had recommended sentences of 30 years for Yoon, 25 years for Kim, 20 years for Yeon, and five years for Kim.
The trial was conducted behind closed doors due to military confidentiality, and the court did not allow live broadcasting of the sentencing hearing.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.