South Korea Prosecutors Seek 30-Year Sentence for Ex-President Yoon in Drone Case

South Korean prosecutors have requested a 30-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations linked to a controversial drone operation involving Pyongyang.

According to reports by Yonhap News Agency, prosecutors argue that Yoon ordered military drones to enter North Korean airspace in 2024, a move they claim was intended to deliberately escalate tensions and create justification for his declaration of martial law later that year.

The case forms part of a broader legal battle facing the former leader, who has been embroiled in multiple trials since his removal from office following the controversial martial law episode that plunged the country into political turmoil.

Prosecutors allege that the drone incursion not only heightened military risks on the Korean Peninsula but also compromised national security, especially after one of the drones reportedly crashed.

Yoon has denied all allegations through his legal team, insisting he never authorized any actions intended to provoke conflict with North Korea.

The trial is being heard at the Seoul Central District Court, which is expected to deliver a verdict at a later date.

The latest prosecution request comes in addition to an earlier life sentence handed to Yoon in a separate case related to insurrection charges tied to his short-lived martial law declaration, a ruling that is currently under appeal.

Analysts say the outcome of the drone case could have significant implications for South Korea’s political landscape, as it continues to grapple with the fallout from one of the most dramatic constitutional crises in its recent history.