South Korea: Special counsel seeks 30-yr prison term for ex-President Yoon over alleged drone dispatch to Pyongyang

Seoul, April 24 A South Korean special counsel team on Friday demanded a 30-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of benefiting the enemy for allegedly ordering the dispatch of military drones over Pyongyang in 2024.

The team, led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, also requested the Seoul Central District Court to sentence former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to 25 years in prison over the same allegation.

Cho's team believes the alleged dispatch in October 2024 was aimed at inciting the North's retaliation, in an attempt to use it as a pretext for Yoon's failed martial law bid that took place two months later.

"Due to this criminal act, the country's military interests were severely undermined as there was substantial harm to national security," the team said, accusing the two of committing a "crime against the state and the people."

The team has argued that the move led to heightened inter-Korean tensions at the time while leaking military secrets when one of the drones crashed in North Korea.

Pyongyang had at the time accused Seoul of flying drones into the country multiple times, releasing images of a crashed drone.

Friday's trial hearing took place behind closed doors due to national security concerns.

Earlier this month, the team demanded a 20-year term for Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and a five-year term for Kim Yong-dae, former chief of the Drone Operations Command, over their alleged involvement in the dispatch.

Yoon, currently in custody, faces multiple criminal trials linked to his botched martial law bid on December 3, 2024.

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