Prosecutors Seek 30-Year Sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol in Drone Case

The special prosecutor's team investigating the insurrection case has requested a 30-year prison sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of directing the 'Pyongyang drone operation' to justify the declaration of martial law on December 3.

During the appeal hearing held on the 16th by the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 1, led by Judge Yoon Seong-sik, the special prosecutor sought a 30-year sentence for Yoon, the same as the initial sentencing recommendation.

The prosecutor's office also requested a 30-year sentence for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had received a 25-year recommendation in the first trial but was given a harsher 30-year sentence by the court.

Former Army Intelligence Command Chief Lee In-hyung was recommended for a 20-year sentence, while Kim Yong-dae, former commander of the drone operations, faced a 5-year sentence for obstructing official duties.

The special prosecutor criticized the defendants, stating, "The commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the defense minister, and the intelligence commander abused their military authority to provoke North Korea's military aggression, intending to create a justification for martial law during a state of emergency, which is a crime more serious than insurrection."

The prosecutor further pointed out that despite Lee's role as a key planner in creating the conditions for martial law, his reduced sentence was unjust. They also criticized the leniency of the probation sentence given to Kim, who organized subordinates to conceal and manipulate serious crimes while denying his involvement.

Yoon and others were indicted for allegedly directing the drone operations in October 2024 to create conditions for declaring martial law, misusing their authority to compel soldiers to perform unnecessary tasks.

In the first trial, which concluded in June, the court found most of the charges against Yoon and others, including provoking military tensions with North Korea to justify martial law, to be guilty.

The court determined that the exposure of military capabilities and operational information during the drone infiltration compromised national military interests, resulting in 30-year sentences for Yoon and Kim, a 15-year sentence for Lee, and a 3-year sentence with 5 years of probation for Kim.

The court emphasized, "The president's authority over the armed forces and the power to declare martial law should only be used to protect the nation's existence and safety," criticizing Yoon for deviating from the intended purpose of his authority to create a state of emergency for his political gain.

All defendants and the special prosecutor's team have appealed the first trial's verdict. The afternoon session will include final statements from the defense.