South Korea prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for ex-President Yoon in drone case

South Korean prosecutors have sought a 30-year jail term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, in a case alleging he ordered a drone operation over Pyongyang to help create a pretext for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, Yonhap news agency said.

The Seoul Central District Court is expected to rule on the case at a later date.

The trial is one of eight Yoon is currently involved in after he was ousted last year following his brief declaration of martial law, which sent shockwaves through a country long viewed as one of Asia's most resilient democracies.

Prosecutors allege the drone operation heightened military tensions with North Korea and, after a drone crashed, risked exposing sensitive military information related to the mission and South Korea's capabilities.

Yoon denied the charges against him, saying he had not taken any action that could trigger a military clash with North Korea, according to his lawyers.

The former president was indicted in November last year on charges that included benefiting the enemy, which can apply even without direct collusion with an enemy if South Korea's military interests are harmed or an adversary is aided.