Unification Ministry calls Yoon's 30-year sentence a 'historical tragedy'

South Korea's Unification Ministry has described the 30-year prison sentence handed down to former President Yoon for allegedly sending drones into North Korea as a "historical tragedy." The ministry pledged to strive for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing the need to prevent such devastating events from recurring and to solidify the nation's policy for peaceful engagement with the North.

In a statement released on the 12th, the ministry addressed the court's ruling, which found that Yoon had orchestrated drone infiltrations into Pyongyang to instigate North Korean provocations, thereby creating a justification for declaring a state of emergency. The ministry condemned the former president's actions, stating, "The fact that a former president has abandoned his responsibility for national security and the safety of the people, and pushed the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war, is a historical tragedy and an act that can never be tolerated."

“

This kind of tragic tragedy will not be repeated, and we will work to ensure that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and the people's sovereign policy toward North Korea can be firmly established.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence, convicting Yoon on charges including general treason and abuse of power. This marks the first time in South Korean constitutional history that a former president has been found guilty of general treason by a court. The court's decision highlighted Yoon's alleged intent to create a pretext for imposing martial law by orchestrating drone incursions into North Korea.

The ministry's strong reaction underscores the gravity with which the government views the case. The sentencing of a former head of state for actions deemed to have endangered national security and peace on the peninsula represents a significant and somber moment in South Korean political history. The focus now shifts to the ministry's efforts to promote stability and peaceful dialogue.

“

The fact that a former president has abandoned his responsibility for national security and the safety of the people, and pushed the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war, is a historical tragedy and an act that can never be tolerated.