Seoul, Nov 10 (NationPress) A special counsel team in South Korea has further indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of aiding the enemy due to his alleged dispatch of drones to North Korea last year.

Led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, the team has also accused Yoon of abuse of power related to an order purportedly intended to provoke North Korea's retaliation and create a pretext for declaring martial law in December.

The special counsel has been probing various accusations against Yoon, including his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law and previous charges of obstructing his detention by investigators in January, as well as violating the rights of Cabinet members during the decree declaration.

In a separate matter, Yoon has been indicted for allegedly leading an insurrection through his martial law initiative and has been imprisoned since July while undergoing trial.

Additionally, the special counsel has indicted former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Yeo In-hyung, the former head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, for allegedly aiding the enemy and abusing their power concerning the drone incident, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Furthermore, Kim Yong-dae, head of the Drone Operations Command, was indicted without physical detention on charges of obstructing official duties and attempting to draft false official documents.

In Yoon's situation, the special counsel reportedly considered applying charges of inciting foreign aggression, which would necessitate evidence of conspiracy with an enemy state. However, they ultimately opted for the charge of benefiting the enemy in general, concluding that the drone deployment in October 2024 resulted in the leakage of military secrets to North Korea after the drones crashed near Pyongyang.

Earlier, on November 8, Yoon Suk Yeol did not attend a questioning session by the special counsel related to his alleged interference in a military investigation concerning the 2023 death of a young Marine.

Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon had previously summoned Yoon on November 3, requiring his appearance on November 8. The special counsel had also requested his attendance on October 23, but he did not comply, citing his lawyers' trial commitments.

Currently in custody over his failed martial law attempt in December, Yoon faces additional accusations of abusing his power and assisting in a criminal's escape related to the Marine incident.

Investigators suspect he directed the presidential office and defence ministry to alter the initial findings of a military probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun to absolve a Marine commander of responsibility.

Moreover, Yoon is suspected of facilitating former Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup's evasion of accountability by appointing him as ambassador to Australia in March 2024.

The late Marine lost his life in July 2023, swept away during a search mission for victims of severe flooding, without adequate safety gear, including a life vest.

On November 7, Yoon Suk Yeol and his spouse, Kim Keon Hee, were scheduled to appear in court for their respective trials, marking the first instance both attended on the same day since their arrests.

Yoon's trial is linked to his failed martial law initiative in December, concerning his alleged attempts to obstruct his detention by investigators in January and involvement in deleting secure phone records from servers.