A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison for authorizing the deployment of drones into North Korea in the autumn of 2024. The court found that Yoon intended to provoke a crisis, creating a pretext to declare martial law and allow the military to seize control of the country. This sentencing follows a prior life sentence handed down earlier this year for attempted seizure of power within South Korea. Authorities clarified that the new 30-year sentence is largely symbolic, as it will be served concurrently with his existing life sentence. The drone operation was deemed a deliberate attempt to destabilize inter-Korean relations and justify domestic political maneuvering. The conviction underscores the severity of the charges and the court’s assessment of Yoon’s actions. News agency AFP reported on the sentencing.