Kim Yonghyun, 6 More Months Added
Obstruction of Official Duties by Fraudulent Means
and Instigation of Evidence Destruction
The trial of former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun, who was the first to be indicted by the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eunsuk on charges related to insurrection, will begin next month.
The 34th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Han Sungjin) has scheduled the first preparatory hearing for Kim, who is accused of obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means and instigation of evidence destruction, for 10 a.m. on the 17th of next month.
A preparatory hearing is a procedure held before the formal trial to confirm the defendant's position regarding the criminal charges and to establish a plan for the examination of evidence. Unlike a formal trial, the defendant is not required to attend.
Previously, on the 18th, the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eunsuk filed additional charges against him and requested the court to issue an additional arrest warrant. On the 25th, the court issued the additional arrest warrant for Kim, citing concerns that he might destroy evidence. Kim, who was the first to be detained in last year's insurrection case, was newly arrested just three hours before he was to be released due to the expiration of his detention period for the first trial.
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