Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and removed from office earlier this year, has now been hit with new charges that include aiding an enemy state. Prosecutors revealed on Monday that Yoon, currently in detention, allegedly attempted to provoke a military confrontation with North Korea through covert operations.
Investigators claim the 64-year-old secretly ordered the deployment of surveillance drones into North Korean territory in October 2024, an act that reportedly led to the exposure of sensitive military intelligence after some of the drones crashed near Pyongyang. According to reports obtained, prosecutors believe this incident formed part of a broader strategy to justify the declaration of martial law that Yoon imposed late last year.
Yoon already faces a string of serious charges, including high treason, an offence that carries a possible life sentence under South Korean law. His decision to invoke martial law on December 3 triggered a nationwide political crisis, drawing widespread condemnation from both the public and members of his own party.
At the time, Yoon defended his actions by claiming that opposition parties had been infiltrated by pro-communist forces seeking to undermine national security. However, he failed to provide concrete evidence, and the decree was swiftly overturned by the courts.
His removal from power paved the way for early presidential elections in June, which saw Lee Jae Myung of the liberal camp elected as South Korea’s new leader. Yoon remains in custody as investigations into his administration’s actions continue to deepen.
