This is another serious verdict for Yun, who had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment for imposing martial law.
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South Korea's ousted President Yun Suk-yeol and his former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun were sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday for ordering drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024 to incite tensions with North Korea. The verdict is the latest in a series of serious rulings against Yun, who was previously sentenced to life in prison for imposing martial law.
The full details of the ruling by the Seoul Central District Court were not immediately made public. However, the court had previously sentenced Yun to life in prison for imposing short-term martial law in December 2024, deeming it a rebellion.
The case was based on allegations made by North Korea in October 2024. Pyongyang claimed that South Korea had flown drones three times to drop propaganda materials over its capital. At the time, then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said the Defense Ministry could neither confirm nor deny the allegations. Tensions between the two Koreas have risen since the incident, but no direct military confrontation has occurred.
An investigation led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk concluded that Yun had attempted to create a war atmosphere between North and South Korea to weaken political opponents and consolidate power under his control. The prosecution accused Yun of conducting the drone campaign as part of a plan to expand power in an authoritarian manner. Similarly, Kim Yong-hyun has also been found responsible for helping to plan martial law and mobilize the army.
The prosecution had demanded a prison sentence of 30 years for Yun and 25 years for Kim. The court sentenced Yun to 30 years, while a detailed decision on Kim is yet to be made public.
Yun's legal representatives have criticized the verdict. They say the drone flight was a response to North Korea sending thousands of garbage balloons towards South Korea in early 2024. They argued that such a decision would undermine South Korea's national security interests. However, they have not immediately announced whether they will appeal the ruling.
Yun declared martial law in a televised address to the nation on the night of December 3, 2024. During the address, he called the opposition liberal lawmakers sympathetic to North Korea "anti-state forces." He cited the opposition's impeachment of senior government officials and cuts to the government's budget bill as the main reasons for his move.
But martial law only lasted about six hours. Lawmakers broke through the military and police cordon and entered the National Assembly and voted to repeal the decision. The cabinet was then forced to withdraw martial law.
Yun was immediately suspended from office after the incident. The parliament then passed an impeachment motion and the Constitutional Court formally removed him from office. Yun, who was arrested in July 2025, is still facing several criminal cases.
The verdict in the most serious rebellion case against Yun has been challenged by both sides. Yun's side has appealed the sentence, while the prosecution has called for a harsher sentence, demanding the death penalty. The 30-year prison sentence has further deepened Yun's downfall in South Korea's recent political history.
