Ex-President Yoon Indicted for ‘Aiding the Enemy’ in Alleged Drone Plot to Force Martial Law

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is already on trial for insurrection, was indicted on Monday on severe new charges, including aiding the enemy and abuse of power, stemming from his failed attempt to declare martial law last year.

Prosecutors allege that Yoon ordered controversial drone flights over North Korea in October last year. The purpose, according to the special counsel team, was to deliberately provoke a reaction from Pyongyang and use the resulting military escalation as a pretext for declaring military rule.

Prosecutor Park Ji-young confirmed the charges, stating that Yoon and others “conspired to create conditions that would allow the declaration of emergency martial law, thereby increasing the risk of inter-Korean armed confrontation.”

Crucially, the prosecutors cited a memo written by Yoon’s former counter-intelligence commander in October 2024 as compelling evidence. The memo reportedly urged targeting North Korean cities like Pyongyang or Wonsan—places “that must make them (the North) lose face so that a response is inevitable.”

The indictment adds gravity to Yoon’s legal woes. He was detained in a dawn raid in January after his December attempt to send armed soldiers to parliament to enforce martial law failed. He was officially removed from office in April and is currently jailed while standing trial on insurrection and other offences.

The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, making the “aiding the enemy” charge a profound legal and political accusation.