Seoul:A special counsel team has requested a 30-year prison sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in his appeals trial. The charges relate to allegations that he ordered drone incursions into North Korea, aiming to provoke Pyongyang and justify declaring martial law.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the special counsel, led by Cho Eun-suk, also sought a 30-year sentence for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on similar charges, including benefiting the enemy and abuse of power. The appeals trial is being held at the Seoul High Court.

The team further recommended a 20-year sentence for Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and a five-year term for Kim Yong-dae, former head of the Drone Operations Command. These sentences are connected to the same charges.

In June, Yoon was convicted by a lower court and sentenced to 30 years for directing the Drone Operations Command in October 2024 to deploy drones to Pyongyang. This action was allegedly intended to provoke a military confrontation, facilitating a declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Former Defense Minister Kim received a 30-year sentence from the Seoul Central District Court, while Yeo was sentenced to 15 years, and former Drone Operations Command chief Kim received a suspended three-year term.

The special counsel team argued that the defendants had misused their military authority and operational control to incite an armed clash with North Korea, thereby providing grounds for martial law. They emphasized that the severity of the crimes was greater than that of insurrection.