Former President Yoon Suk Yeol faces new indictments for allegedly ordering spy drone missions into North Korea to Justify his martial law declaration [Image by Al Arabiya]
(The Post News) – Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea is facing new criminal charges. Prosecutors accused him of ordering drone flights over North Korea. They claim he wanted to create tension with Pyongyang. This was allegedly to justify his ill-fated declaration of martial law in 2024.
A special counsel team for South Korea made an announcement on Monday. They stated that Yoon and two senior defense officials allegedly used military drones to provoke Pyongyang in October 2024. This was two months before the declaration of martial law by Yoon.
Investigators say the flights aimed to create a “security crisis” that would allow Yoon to expand executive powers.
“Yoon and his aides conspired to create conditions for martial law. They did this by increasing the risk of armed confrontation,” said special counsel team spokesperson Park Ji-young.
According to Park, the team found digital memos referencing “drones”, “surgical strikes”, and “creating an unstable situation.” One note allegedly suggested targeting Pyongyang to “force a response” and raise public fear of conflict.
Political Fallout and Legal Consequences
Yoon allegedly operated drones just before armed troops were deployed. They surrounded the National Assembly in South Korea on December 3, 2024. This was an effort to stop lawmakers from overriding his martial law order.
Parliament impeached him days later. The Constitutional Court removed Yoon from office in April 2025.
Yoon has remained in jail while facing charges of rebellion, abuse of power, and aiding the enemy. These crimes carry life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.
The other two co-defendants are former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former military intelligence chief Yeo In-hyung. They are charged with plotting the drone flights.
North Korea has accused Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang in October 2024 to scatter propaganda leaflets. Kim Yong-hyun initially denied the accusation. Nonetheless, the military in South Korea later conceded it not confirm whether the incursions happened.
The incident raised tensions between the Koreas, though no direct military confrontation followed.
Yoon’s liberal successor is President Lee Jae Myung. He approved the independent investigation of Yoon’s actions. Lee described these actions as “a grave breach of democratic order.”
Yoon’s Defense and Denial
Yoon insists he never intended to impose permanent military rule. His legal team argues his declaration of martial law was an effort to “protect democracy from anti-state forces” in parliament.
In a statement through his lawyers, Yoon said he “had no knowledge of any drone flights.” He claimed the investigation is politically motivated.
Analysts say the scandal marks one of the most severe constitutional crises in South Korean history. It also deepens divisions between conservatives and liberals ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. The peninsula remains technically at war. The 1950–53 Korean conflict ended with an armistice. There was no peace treaty between the two Koreas.
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