The special counsel's office investigating the insurrection case has sought a 20-year prison sentence for Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, who is on trial over allegations of deploying drones to Pyongyang.
At a sentencing hearing held Saturday at Seoul Central District Court's 36th Criminal Division presided by Judge Lee Jeong-yeop, the special counsel requested the court sentence the former commander to 20 years in prison on charges including aiding the enemy. The prosecution also sought a five-year prison term for Kim Yong-dae, former commander of the Drone Operations Command, who faces charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.
"This is a grave anti-constitutional crime in which the supreme commander of the armed forces and his followers attempted to induce a wartime situation on the Korean Peninsula to create conditions for declaring martial law, using the lives and property of the people as collateral," the special counsel stated. "We considered that this crime caused substantial harm to national security, seriously undermined the Republic of Korea's military interests, and resulted in national chaos and military discipline breakdown."
Yeo is accused of deploying drones to Pyongyang around October 2024 together with former President Yoon Suk-yeol and others to heighten tensions with North Korea in order to create justification for declaring emergency martial law. Kim, who allegedly carried out the actual operation, faces charges including abuse of authority and incitement to destroy military property. Due to the nature of the case involving numerous state secrets, all trial proceedings are being conducted behind closed doors.
The court concluded arguments for both Yeo and Kim on Saturday and is scheduled to wrap up arguments for former President Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on the 24th of this month.
