Yoon convicted in North Korea drone case

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday after a court found him guilty of authorizing a drone mission into Pyongyang, ruling that he approved the operation to inflame military tensions and help create the conditions for a national emergency ahead of his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 36, presided over by Judge Lee Jeong-yeop, convicted Yoon on all charges, including benefiting the enemy and abuse of authority. The court said Yoon had sought to engineer a national emergency in order to justify invoking his authority to declare martial law. It also found that he had exploited military personnel for private purposes by using the cover of a military operation to provoke a North Korean response. Judges further concluded that the drone mission exposed both civilians and service members to potential harm and damaged military interests by compromising sensitive military information. The ruling marked the first time a former South Korean president has been convicted of benefiting the enemy.

Yoon's lawyers argued that he had never been briefed on the drone mission. The court rejected that claim, saying the operation could not have proceeded without his approval. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to 30 years in prison, five years more than prosecutors had sought, after the court found that he had orchestrated and directed the mission. Former Defense Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung received a 15-year prison term after the court determined that he had discussed the timing and conditions for martial law with Kim and taken steps to keep the operation hidden from public view.

Yoon gave a brief laugh of apparent disbelief as the 30-year sentence was handed down. Shortly afterward, his legal team blasted the ruling, arguing that a legitimate military mission had been criminalized. The lawyers also contended that the special counsel's investigation, indictment and prosecution themselves amounted to an act detrimental to the nation's interests.


여근호 yeoroot@donga.com