South Korea prosecutors seek 30 years for Yoon over drone flights into North
Special prosecutors said they were seeking the new sentence on charges of aiding the enemy, adding that Yoon's effort to "fabricate wartime conditions" had undermined state security.
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
SEOUL: South Korean special prosecutors requested a further 30-year term on Friday (Apr 24) for jailed ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol for allegedly sending military drones into North Korea in 2024.
Yoon is accused of ordering the incursion to help create the pretext for his failed declaration of martial law that year, which resulted in his impeachment, removal from office and life imprisonment for insurrection.
Special prosecutors said in a statement that they were seeking the new sentence on charges of aiding the enemy, adding that Yoon's effort to "fabricate wartime conditions" had undermined state security.
They also argue that the operation heightened tensions with North Korea and led to the leak of classified information - including details on force capabilities - after the drones crashed, the Yonhap news agency reported.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
Yoon was sentenced to life in jail in February for leading an insurrection to "paralyse" South Korea's National Assembly.
He has appealed the conviction tied to his martial law declaration, insisting he took the measure "solely for the sake of the nation".
Drone flights have continued to be a flashpoint in recent tensions between North and South Korea, which remain technically at war.
This month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret to Pyongyang after an investigation found that government officials had sent drones into the nuclear-armed North in January.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later called Lee's statement "wise behaviour", but hopes for a rapprochement faded after the diplomatically isolated nation returned to calling the South its "most hostile" enemy.
Lee has vowed to mend ties with North Korea by halting the kind of provocations carried out under his predecessor, and has suggested a rare apology may be warranted for Yoon's actions involving the drones.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app