What prison terms did prosecutors seek for Yoon Suk Yeol and the other defendants in the drone incursion appeals trial?

The special counsel team requested 30 years in prison for Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Yong-hyun, 20 years for Yeo In-hyung, and five years for Kim Yong-dae. The requests were made at the Seoul High Court appeals trial.

Why did prosecutors say Yoon Suk Yeol ordered drones to fly into North Korea?

The special counsel team alleged that Yoon ordered the drone operations to provoke Pyongyang and trigger a military clash. Prosecutors said the anticipated North Korean response was intended to provide a justification for declaring martial law in December 2024.

How did the lower court sentence the defendants in Yoon Suk Yeol’s North Korea drone case?

The lower court gave Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Yong-hyun 30-year prison terms, sentenced Yeo In-hyung to 15 years, and imposed a suspended three-year term on Kim Yong-dae. The appeals trial concerns those convictions and sentences.

Special counsel seeks 30-year term for ex-president over NK drone incursion

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Summary

The special counsel team sought 30-year prison terms for former President Yoon Suk Yeol and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun at their appeals trial at the Seoul High Court on Friday. The team also requested 20 years for former Defense Counterintelligence Command chief Yeo In-hyung and five years for former Drone Operations Command chief Kim Yong-dae. Prosecutors allege the defendants used military authority to provoke an armed clash with North Korea as a pretext for Yoon’s declaration of martial law.

Key Facts

Yoon was convicted by a lower court in June and sentenced to 30 years for ordering drones to be sent to Pyongyang in October 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yeo In-hyung to 15 years and Kim Yong-dae to a suspended three-year term.
The special counsel team charged the defendants with benefiting the enemy and abuse of power.
The team said the alleged crimes were more serious than insurrection.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 16, 2026 3:09 pm KST
Updated Oct 16, 2026 3:24 pm KST

This composite photo shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun / Yonhap

A special counsel team on Friday demanded a 30-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in his appeals trial over allegations that he ordered drone incursions into North Korea to provoke Pyongyang in an attempt to use potential North Korean provocations to justify his declaration of martial law.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team also sought a 30-year prison term for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on charges of benefiting the enemy and abuse of power in the same appeals trial at the Seoul High Court.

The team additionally requested a 20-year prison term for Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and a five-year term for Kim Yong-dae, former head of the Drone Operations Command, on the same charges.

Yoon was convicted by a lower court in June and sentenced to 30 years in prison for ordering the Drone Operations Command in October 2024 to send drones to Pyongyang in an attempt to provoke a military clash that could provide a pretext for his declaration of martial law in December that year.

Former Defense Minister Kim was also given a 30-year prison term by the Seoul Central District Court, while Yeo received a 15-year prison term and former Drone Operations Command chief Kim was given a suspended three-year term.

The special counsel team said that the defendants had abused their military command authority and operational control to provoke an armed clash with North Korea and provide a pretext for declaring martial law. It added that the nature of their crimes was more serious than that of insurrection.

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