President Yoon Suk-yeol's legal team announced on the 22nd that the president will not attend the second criminal trial preparation hearing scheduled for the 24th.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Gui-yeon) plans to hold the second trial preparation hearing for President Yoon, who is charged with leading a rebellion, at 10 a.m. on the 24th.
On the 8th, President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was released, got out of the security vehicle in front of Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, and greeted his supporters. Photo by Yonhap News
The legal team stated, "During the related procedures, the lawyers will attend to present opinions on the charges, procedures, and evidence, and to proceed accordingly."
This trial is the first to be held since the same court accepted President Yoon's request for cancellation of detention and released him on the 7th.
While the defendant must appear at the trial date, there is no obligation for the defendant to attend the trial preparation hearing. President Yoon personally attended the first trial preparation hearing held on the 20th of last month while he was still in detention.
Meanwhile, at 10 a.m. on the 24th, when President Yoon's criminal trial is scheduled, the Constitutional Court will deliver its ruling on the impeachment trial of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This case is considered to be intertwined with the impeachment case related to President Yoon's declaration of martial law in some key issues. Attention is focused on whether parts of the Constitutional Court's decision regarding Prime Minister Han will influence future judgments related to President Yoon's impeachment trial.
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