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South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of orchestrating a rebellion when he declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, arrives for his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, on May 12, 2025. Ahn Young-joon, Pool/AP Photo
A Seoul court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of ordering the flying of drones over North Korea in October 2024 to provoke the regime and manufacture a security crisis to use as a pretext for his Dec. 3, 2024, declaration of martial law.
Seoul Central District Court on June 12 convicted Yoon on charges of benefiting the enemy and abuse of power, according to the Yonhap News Agency.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for his role in the incident.
“In order to create conditions for martial law, the defendants decided to use the military tactic of psychological warfare to incite North Korea and induce a provocation, and use that to prompt an armed provocation, such as a local conflict, or create a national security crisis situation resulting from heightened military tension,” the court said.
Lawyers representing Yoon have lodged an appeal.
His legal team had argued at trial that the drone deployment was a legitimate military operation, launched in response to Pyongyang sending balloons carrying garbage across the border into South Korea.
However, the court said the operation had undermined Seoul’s security by exposing military assets to the North Korean regime, strengthening Pyongyang’s military readiness.
Pyongyang accused Seoul of using drones to drop propaganda leaflets over the capital three times in October 2024.
Latest Conviction
Friday’s ruling marks the third conviction for the imprisoned Yoon, who is facing a total of eight trials in relation to his failed installation of martial law in December 2024.
His first conviction came down on Jan. 16 for mobilizing the presidential security service to prevent authorities from detaining him. He received a five-year prison sentence, which was increased in April to seven years.
South Korea's former impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at court in Seoul, South Korea, on July 9, 2025. Kim Hong-Ji/AFP via Getty Images
Then on Feb. 19, Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating an insurrection, for which he was sentenced to life in prison.
During his trial for insurrection, he had told the court it was within his presidential powers to call for a state of emergency and that doing so could not constitute an insurrection.
Yoon has denied any wrongdoing and has appealed the rulings.
Failed Martial Law Attempt
Yoon attempted to impose martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, but backed down after six hours, after parliament voted to overturn the decree. He said he imposed the measures in order to protect the South Korean constitution because the opposition, which controlled the parliament, was sympathetic to communists and North Korea.
Weeks later, authorities issued a warrant to detain Yoon after he failed to comply with three summonses for questioning. On Jan. 3, 2025, Yoon barricaded himself inside the presidential residence, and the security service blocked investigators.
Authorities detained Yoon in a second attempt on Jan. 15, 2025, with the operation involving more than 3,000 police officers. He was indicted soon after, on Jan. 26, on charges of leading an insurrection.
Yoon was removed from office on April 4, 2025, after South Korea’s Constitutional Court voted to uphold the Dec. 14, 2024, parliamentary vote to impeach him.
The Constitutional Court’s decision triggered a snap election, and in June 2025, Lee Jae-myung, a former Democratic Party of Korea leader who led the impeachment bid against Yoon, won the presidency.
Victoria Friedman is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of international stories, with a particular interest in technology, eastern Europe, and defense.
