Prosecutors seek 30-year prison sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

As of April 2026, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, already serving a life sentence for insurrection, faces a new legal challenge.

Prosecutors are seeking an additional 30-year prison sentence on charges of general treason.

The prosecution alleges that Yoon ordered unauthorized drone infiltrations into North Korea in October 2024 to manufacture a security crisis.

They argue this was a calculated move to create a pretext for his failed declaration of emergency martial law in December 2024, which he allegedly intended to use to crush political opposition.

Yoon was removed from office in April 2025 following an impeachment process triggered by the martial law crisis.

Since then, he has faced multiple convictions, including a five-year term for obstructing justice and a life sentence for insurrection.

This latest request marks a significant development in the high-profile legal reckoning that has gripped South Korea since the political turmoil of 2024.