Former South Korean President Yoon Sentenced to 30 Years for Drone Flights Over Pyongyang

On June 12, 2026, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his ex-defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun, to 30 years in prison. They were convicted of abuse of power and aiding the enemy by ordering drone flights over Pyongyang in 2024. The court determined that these actions aimed to provoke North Korea into retaliating, providing a pretext for Yoon to declare martial law. This ruling follows Yoon's earlier life sentence for a rebellion conviction related to his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. Yoon's legal team has announced plans to appeal the latest verdict. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/a33f2207010d64b83a30e97e2f6aâa51?utm_source=openai))