South Korea’s special prosecutor recently indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on additional charges, including abuse of power and aiding an enemy state, related to his brief attempt to impose martial law last year. An official disclosed that Yoon tried to provoke a military conflict between South and North Korea as a pretext for martial law, based on evidence from a military official’s mobile phone. The evidence contained words like “drones” and “surgical strike,” suggesting plans for potential provocations against North Korea.
Yoon, removed from office by the Constitutional Court in April, faces trial for insurrection related to his unsuccessful martial law declaration, which could lead to a death sentence if convicted. He claims he never intended to impose military rule, only to alert the public to opposition misconduct and protect democracy from ‘anti-state’ elements.
A memo cited by a prosecutor suggests Yoon, along with ex-defence minister Kim Yong-hyun and ex-military intelligence chief Yeo In-hyung, plotted to provoke a North Korean attack to justify martial law. They, including military commanders, are accused of ordering a covert drone operation aimed at inflaming tensions.
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In October last year, North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones to distribute anti-North Korean leaflets over Pyongyang, releasing images of a crashed South Korean military drone as evidence. Despite this, South Korea’s military declined to comment at the time, and the Defence Ministry has refrained from providing further remarks. Kim Yong-hyun is also on trial for related charges, while Yeo expressed regret for not challenging Yoon’s orders. However, prosecutors consider his explanations for the notes on his phone to be unconvincing.
