A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison Friday for ordering drone flights over North Korea in 2024. The court found that Yoon directed the operation as part of a broader scheme to justify declaring martial law in South Korea.

Prosecutors alleged that Yoon intentionally ordered the drone incursions into North Korean airspace to provoke Pyongyang and create heightened tensions between the two countries. The court ruled that these actions were designed to manufacture a security crisis that would provide justification for authoritarian measures at home.

Yoon's former defense minister also received a 30-year prison sentence in connection with the drone operation. The case is separate from other legal proceedings against Yoon, who was previously impeached and removed from office.

The drone flights occurred during a period of already strained relations between North and South Korea. The court determined that Yoon's actions represented an abuse of presidential power and an attempt to undermine South Korea's democratic institutions through the creation of artificial security threats.

Yoon has denied the charges against him. The sentencing represents one of the most significant legal consequences faced by a former South Korean president in recent years, highlighting ongoing concerns about the stability of democratic governance in the country.