Seoul: A team from South Korea's special counsel conducted multiple raids on Monday in connection with allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol orchestrated a covert drone operation into North Korea. This operation was allegedly intended to provoke a military response that would justify his declaration of martial law last December, according to local media reports.

According to Anadolu Agency, the ongoing investigation into Yoon's failed martial law attempt has now expanded to include charges of treason. Investigators have raided 24 locations, including the country's Drone Operations Command (DOC), the Ministry of Defense, and the Defense Counterintelligence Command, to gather evidence related to these allegations.

The raids also targeted the National Security Office of the presidential office and the residence of Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae, the head of the drone command. The special counsel suspects that Yoon ordered the military to dispatch drones to Pyongyang in October last year.

Further allegations suggest that the military was involved in covering up the drone operation. It is reported that investigators have obtained a recording of a military officer implying that Yoon directly instructed the drone command to prepare a mission across the border into Pyongyang between October and November last year, shortly before declaring martial law.

The DOC is accused of deliberately modifying a drone to carry anti-North Korea leaflets, despite being aware of the potential risk of it crashing. In October, Pyongyang claimed it discovered the remains of the drone with leaflets and warned of retaliation if such actions were repeated by Seoul.