A Seoul Central District Court is set to deliver its verdict on Friday, 13 June 2025, on charges against former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol that he ordered military drones to fly over Pyongyang in October 2024 as a pretext to declare martial law. The charges include benefiting the enemy and abuse of authority, according to judicial officials.

Key Charges and Allegations

Yoon is accused of directing the South Korean military to conduct drone incursions into North Korean airspace over Pyongyang in October 2024, reportedly as a manufactured justification for his declaration of martial law on 3 December 2024. The special counsel team has argued that the operation heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and resulted in the leak of military secrets.

A special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk has demanded a 30-year prison term for the former president. Yoon reportedly denied the main allegations when questioned by the team led by special counsel Kwon Chang-young at the team's office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. He arrived at approximately 10 a.m. and departed around 4:30 p.m. — his first appearance before the team since its launch in February 2025.

Co-Accused Officials Also Face Rulings

The court is also expected to rule on three other senior officials connected to the alleged drone operation. Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, accused of leading the drone operation, faces charges of abuse of authority and destruction of military installations, among others. Also in the dock are Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, and Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae, former chief of the Drone Operations Command.

Background: Martial Law and Prior Sentencing

This week's verdict is separate from an earlier landmark ruling. In February 2025, Yoon was sentenced to life in prison for his botched martial law declaration — the first court ruling on that case. The drone infiltration charges represent a distinct but closely related legal thread, centred on whether the military incursions were deliberately engineered to create a security pretext.

Notably, the special counsel team had earlier also questioned Yoon on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of rights, in connection with messages allegedly used to justify the martial law declaration. The convergence of multiple serious charges underscores the scale of legal jeopardy facing the former president.

What Happens Next

Friday's hearing will be closely watched both domestically and internationally, given its implications for civil-military accountability in South Korea. A conviction on the 'benefiting the enemy' charge would carry particularly severe consequences under South Korean law. Legal observers expect the verdict to further define the boundaries of executive authority over military operations in the country.