Contact Ban Imposed on Yoon and Other Related Parties
Former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun, who is facing charges including participation in important duties related to insurrection, is set to be released on bail on June 16.
The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Guyoun) decided on conditional bail for former Minister Kim on this day. Bail is a procedure in which a person is released from detention upon payment of a deposit or under other appropriate conditions. The court explained, "Under the current Criminal Procedure Act, the maximum detention period for a first-instance trial is six months. Given the difficulty of completing the trial within this period, and considering that it is standard practice to impose bail conditions to ensure the defendant's appearance and prevent evidence destruction as the detention period nears its end, we have made this decision."
The bail conditions include the payment of a 100 million won deposit, restrictions on residence, submission of a written pledge to appear at times and places designated by the court, and not to destroy evidence. In addition, former Minister Kim is prohibited from meeting or contacting, either directly or through his attorney or a third party, any suspects, defendants, witnesses, their representatives, or relatives involved in the case for any reason related to the case.
Former Minister Kim was detained on December 27, 2024, and was approaching the expiration of the six-month statutory detention period on June 26, 2025. Under the Criminal Procedure Act, the maximum detention period for a first-instance defendant is six months. Once the detention period ends, the defendant is tried without detention even if the trial is ongoing. In this case, the prosecution requested the court to grant bail with conditions, and although former Minister Kim's side expressed opposition, the court granted bail ex officio.
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