Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to an additional 30 years in prison, on top of a previous life sentence, for authorizing provocative drone flights over North Korea in 2024. The Seoul court found Yoon and his former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, guilty of attempting to escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula and potentially provoke a military response from the North. Prosecutors argued the drone operations, which involved flights over Pyongyang, risked exposing South Korean military capabilities and strengthening North Korean defenses. North Korea had accused South Korea of using drones to distribute propaganda leaflets. While the South Korean government did not explicitly deny the accusations at the time, it refrained from confirmation. Both Yoon and Kim received 30-year sentences, with Yoon’s legal team criticizing the verdict and claiming the flights were retaliation for North Korea’s earlier balloon launches. It remains unclear if Yoon will appeal the decision.