S. Korea's special counsel seeks 30-year sentence on appeal for ex-President Yoon in Pyongyang drone case

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's special counsel on Friday sought a 30-year prison sentence on appeal for former President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of general treason linked to a covert drone operation over Pyongyang.

This file photo taken on Feb. 20, 2025 shows Yoon Suk-yeol (C) attending a hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo: Xinhua)

The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, asked the Seoul High Court to uphold the 30-year sentence initially handed down by a lower court.

The team also demanded a 30-year prison term for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was tried on the same charges alongside Yoon.

Yoon was accused of ordering the drone infiltration into Pyongyang around October 2024 with the intent of militarily provoking the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to create a pretext for his martial law declaration in December of the same year.

The general treason refers to the crime of harming South Korea's military interests or benefiting the enemy.

Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February for the insurrection stemming from his martial law declaration.

The emergency martial law was declared on the night of Dec. 3, 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.

He was indicted under detention in January 2025 as a suspected ringleader of the insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted.