Drone cover-up deepens martial law allegation against Yoon

South Korea’s military drone command allegedly submitted a false report to the Ministry of National Defense in February, claiming that a drone had crashed during a domestic training exercise. In fact, the drone was part of a mission flown toward Pyongyang last October, with one reportedly going down in North Korea. The report is believed to have been fabricated to hide the operation, possibly to deflect suspicions that former President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the drone flights to incite conflict with the North and justify a declaration of martial law after the December 3 emergency decree.

North Korea released photos last October that it claimed showed a downed South Korean drone. According to military sources, the subsequent false report was prepared at the direction of senior officials, including Drone Operations Commander Kim Yong-dae. Testimony submitted to the special counsel suggests the cover-up aimed to reconcile drone inventory records and conceal evidence of the Pyongyang mission.

A previously reported audio recording reveals that a military officer involved in the drone planning group was told by Commander Kim that the directive came from “V,” widely understood to mean former President Yoon Suk-yeol. One witness testified that after North Korea publicly acknowledged the drone incursion, “V was so pleased that the commander was told to do it again.” The drone missions occurred in October and November 2023, as Yoon faced growing political pressure, including the passage of a special prosecutor bill targeting his wife, Kim Keon-hee, over allegations involving luxury gifts and financial misconduct. Yoon vetoed the bill, intensifying public backlash.

While Commander Kim denies receiving any directive from “V,” he defended the false report as necessary due to the operation’s classified nature. However, if the mission was legitimate, it should have been properly documented through secure protocols rather than concealed by deception. Evidence suggests the operation bypassed the official military chain of command. Kim reportedly discussed the drone plan with Kim Yong-hyun, then head of the Presidential Security Service, in June 2023. To carry out the mission, they assembled a small planning unit called the “task group” and did not inform the Joint Chiefs of Staff until after Kim Yong-hyun was appointed Defense Minister in September.

Despite internal military warnings that GPS jamming could cause drone crashes, the operation went ahead. If the mission was lawful, there is little reason for the secrecy, bypassing the chain of command, and ignoring safety concerns. Furthermore, any operation that risked armed conflict with North Korea would likely have required approval from the nation’s top military authority, the commander-in-chief.

Subordinates have started testifying, but Commander Kim remains silent about who gave the final order. The drone missions are more than a tactical detail. They could provide crucial evidence of Yoon’s intention to declare martial law. The special counsel must thoroughly investigate who was responsible for this risky and reckless military operation.