Court Allows Private Appearance, Prohibits Filming in the Courtroom
Fifth Former President to Stand Criminal Trial
The criminal trial of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection, will intensify ten days after his dismissal. The first hearing will also include witness examinations of Army Capital Defense Command 1st Security Group Commander Cho Seong-hyun and Special Warfare Command 1st Special Forces Battalion Commander Kim Hyung-gi, as requested by the prosecution.
Former President Yoon Suk-yeol is greeting supporters as he leaves the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and moves to his private residence in Seocho-dong on April 11, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju
Since democratization, this is the fifth time a former president has sat in the defendant's seat, following former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Lee Myung-bak, and Park Geun-hye. However, the court has allowed Yoon to appear in court privately, so his appearance is not expected to be exposed to the public.
According to the legal community on the 13th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25 (Chief Judge Ji Gui-yeon) will hold the first trial related to former President Yoon’s insurrection leadership charges at 10 a.m. on the 14th in the large courtroom 417 of the Seoul Court Complex. In accordance with the defendant’s obligation to attend the trial date, former President Yoon is also expected to appear in person.
Previously, considering courthouse security and inconvenience to visitors, the court allowed former President Yoon to enter the courthouse through the underground parking lot for a private appearance. Additionally, the court did not permit media filming inside the courtroom before the trial began, so unlike during the trials of former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, no photos or videos of Yoon sitting in the defendant’s seat will be available.
The trial will begin with the court’s identity verification procedure to confirm that the person appearing in court is indeed the defendant. During this procedure, former President Yoon will have to state his name, date of birth, occupation, registered domicile, and residence. After the identity verification, the prosecution will explain the charges, and the defendant’s acknowledgment or denial will be confirmed.
There is speculation that former President Yoon, attending the trial, might speak directly as he did during the Constitutional Court impeachment trial hearings. At the first preparatory hearing of the criminal trial following the request to cancel his detention on February 20, he listened to the proceedings without making any statements.
Witness examinations of Commander Cho Seong-hyun of the 1st Security Group and Commander Kim Hyung-gi of the 1st Special Forces Battalion will also be conducted. Commander Cho testified as a key witness during Yoon’s impeachment trial hearings, stating that he received orders from former Capital Defense Command Commander Lee Jin-woo to "enter the (National Assembly) interior and pull out the lawmakers." Commander Kim is also reported to have received the same order from Special Warfare Command 1st Airborne Brigade Commander Lee Sang-hyun. Initially, witness examinations of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol were also scheduled but were changed due to scheduling conflicts.
Meanwhile, the court is also expected to further discuss whether to consolidate this trial with other trials involving former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun and others accused of participating in important insurrection duties.
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