Yoon, Second Preparation Hearing Today for 'Leader of Rebellion' Trial... Does Not Attend

Yoon's Legal Team Expected to State Their Views on Intensive and Consolidated Hearings Today

The second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Seok-yeol, who has been indicted on charges of "leader of a rebellion," will be held on the 24th. President Yoon has decided not to attend this hearing, which is the first to be held since his release following the cancellation of his detention.

Yonhap News

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Gui-yeon) will hold the second preparatory hearing for President Yoon's case on charges of being the leader of a rebellion at 10 a.m. on the same day.

President Yoon attended the first preparatory hearing in person on the 20th of last month but will not attend this time. His legal team announced on the 22nd that President Yoon would be absent, stating, "The defense attorneys will attend to present opinions on the charges, procedures, and evidence and to proceed with the hearing." The preparatory hearing is a procedure to organize issues and evidence before the main trial, and the defendant is not obligated to attend.

President Yoon's side is expected to express their basic stance on the charges filed that day, as well as opinions on intensive hearings and consolidated hearings. Earlier, the prosecution requested at the first preparatory hearing, "We ask for intensive hearings at least two to three times a week," adding, "Former President Park Geun-hye's criminal trial was conducted with intensive hearings three to four times a week, and former President Lee Myung-bak's trial was held with intensive hearings once to twice a week." In response, President Yoon's side did not express a position, stating that the review of the records was not yet complete.

President Yoon was indicted on December 3 last year on charges including conspiring with former Minister Kim and others to declare unconstitutional and illegal martial law despite the absence of signs of war, emergency, or equivalent national emergency, and inciting a riot with the purpose of disturbing the constitutional order.

The court plans to complete the preparatory procedures on this day and proceed to the formal trial. The first trial date is expected to be set next month. From the formal trial onward, President Yoon will be obligated to attend.

Meanwhile, at the same time, the Constitutional Court is scheduled to deliver a ruling on the impeachment trial of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This comes 87 days after the National Assembly impeached Prime Minister Han, who was acting president, on December 27 last year, suspending his duties. As Prime Minister Han will conclude the impeachment trial before President Yoon, this marks the first case among high-ranking officials impeached or indicted related to the December 3 martial law to receive judicial judgment. Given the high possibility that the court will issue its first ruling on the procedural illegality of the December 3 martial law, this could serve as a gauge for President Yoon's verdict.