SEOUL — Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday. This sentence follows allegations that he ordered drone flights over Pyongyang and declared martial law in December 2024 to consolidate power.

Prosecutors alleged Yoon Suk Yeol ordered drone flights over the North Korean capital in 2024. These drone flights were alleged to have aimed at increasing tensions with North Korea to justify a martial law declaration in South Korea. North Korea had accused South Korea of flying drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets on three occasions in October 2024. Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team stated the drone flights were conducted in response to North Korea sending trash-carrying balloons into South Korea earlier in 2024. Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun denied allegations regarding the drone flights, while the South Korean Defense Ministry stated it could neither confirm nor deny the allegations.

Investigators claimed Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to create a conflict between the Koreas while plotting to remove political opponents and concentrate executive power. Investigators had requested a 30-year prison sentence for Yoon Suk Yeol. His legal team argued that a conviction would undermine South Korea's security interests.

The Seoul Central District Court had previously sentenced Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison for a rebellion conviction related to the martial law declaration. Both Yoon Suk Yeol and prosecutors filed appeals against that verdict. Prosecutors had requested a death sentence for the rebellion conviction.

Yoon Suk Yeol announced martial law late on December 3, 2024, during a televised address. In this address, he characterized liberal lawmakers as anti-state forces with North Korean sympathies. He cited impeachments of senior officials by the opposition and reductions to the government budget bill as reasons for the declaration. Kim Yong Hyun assisted in planning and mobilizing military and police forces for this martial law declaration. The December 2024 martial law declaration lasted approximately six hours. Legislators voted to overturn martial law after passing through a security perimeter at the National Assembly. Yoon Suk Yeol's Cabinet rescinded the martial law order following the legislative vote.

The Constitutional Court suspended Yoon Suk Yeol from office, approved his impeachment, and formally removed him from the presidency. Yoon Suk Yeol was taken into custody in July 2025.

No independent assessment of Yoon Suk Yeol’s claims was available.