South Korean prosecutors seek 30-year sentence for former president

South Korean prosecutors on Friday requested a 30-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a case linked to an alleged drone operation over Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

Investigators argue that the operation may have been used as a pretext for declaring martial law in December 2024, Caliber.Az reports, citing Korean media.

The final verdict will be delivered later by the Seoul Central District Court.

Yoon is currently facing eight separate trials following his removal from office last year, when a brief imposition of martial law triggered a political crisis in the country.

Prosecutors say the drone activity heightened tensions with North Korea and may have endangered South Korea’s military secrets.

The former president’s defence, however, rejects the allegations, insisting he did not take any actions that could have provoked conflict.

Yoon has also been charged under a provision related to “aiding the enemy,” which applies when actions are deemed harmful to national military interests even without direct collusion.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov