Court Allows Yoon Seok-yeol to Use Underground Parking During 'Nae-ran' Charge Trial

Court Announces Security Plan Ahead of First Trial on the 14th
"Permitted Upon Request... Cannot Confirm Details for the Day"

Ahead of the criminal trial for former President Yoon Seok-yeol on charges of insurrection, the court has decided to allow access through the underground parking lot if requested by the former president's side.

Yonhap News

On the 11th, the Seoul High Court announced through a notice that "if the defendant requests to enter and exit through the underground parking lot using a vehicle, this will be permitted." Earlier, on the 10th, the Presidential Security Service had requested the court to allow former President Yoon to use the staff underground parking lot when using a vehicle.

The court stated, "This decision was made by Kim Dae-woong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court, after gathering and deciding on the measures discussed at a meeting involving the senior deputy chiefs, secretaries, and security managers of the three courts working in the court building, based on the requests from the Presidential Security Service, the court's own security personnel status, and the personal protection measures already being implemented for the prosecution since the preparatory hearing of this case."

It added, "However, the defendant's attendance, the use of a vehicle during attendance, and entry through the west wing cannot be confirmed in advance," and "It is not possible to confirm whether actual access through the underground parking lot will take place."

The court also decided to completely ban the entry of general vehicles into the court premises from 8 p.m. on the day until midnight on the 14th, excluding essential vehicles such as official vehicles. Additionally, some entrances and exits will be closed, and enhanced security checks will be conducted upon entry.

Along with the ban on assemblies and demonstrations within the court premises, entry may be restricted if individuals carry items related to assemblies or demonstrations. Unauthorized filming without prior permission is also prohibited.

Meanwhile, former President Yoon was indicted last December 3rd on charges including conspiring with former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun and others to declare an unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law.

The Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Gui-yeon) will hold the first trial of former President Yoon, who has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection, on the 14th. The defendant, former President Yoon, is required to appear in court. Attendance is mandatory for the main trial, unlike the preparatory hearing.

At the second preparatory hearing held on the 24th of last month, Yoon’s side denied all the prosecution’s charges. They stated, "The indictment is an illegal prosecution based on the investigation results of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which has no jurisdiction over insurrection cases," and "Martial law is a legitimate exercise of national emergency powers, so the charge of insurrection cannot be established."