Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol denied accusations of dispatching drones to North Korea to justify a failed martial law imposition, citing a phone call with then US President-elect Donald Trump as evidence. Yoon defended himself during a closed-door hearing regarding extending his arrest on charges of aiding the enemy and power abuse related to the alleged drone deployment to Pyongyang in October last year.
Yoon, who has been in custody since July for impeding justice, is scheduled for release after his six-month arrest ends on January 18. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team sought to prolong his arrest while accusing him of the drone operation, purportedly to provoke North Korea’s response and use it as a pretext for declaring martial law on December 3 last year.
During the hearing, Yoon refuted the aiding the enemy charge, asserting he had no knowledge of any drone activity or attack. He mentioned a 10-minute phone call with Trump in November, discussing North Korea’s balloon activities in South Korea and affirming a policy of “strategic patience” unless North Korea’s actions caused harm.
Yoon’s legal team argued that the drone accusations should be addressed in a separate trial concerning the martial law declaration. The court is reviewing arguments from both sides and is expected to decide on the arrest extension after receiving written submissions by next Tuesday. If the extension is granted, Yoon could face up to six more months in jail.
