'Re-arrested' Yoon skips first insurrection trial... "Statement of absence submitted for health reasons"

Yoon's Attorney Appears in Court

Former President Yoon Sukyeol did not attend the trial on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection, which was held for the first time since his re-arrest. This is the first time that former President Yoon has been absent from his insurrection trial.

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 9th to attend a pre-arrest detention hearing. The hearing was conducted by Chief Judge Nam Sejin, who is in charge of warrants and a member of the 33rd Judicial Research and Training Institute class. Photo by Joint Press Corps

The 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Guyoun) opened the 10th hearing on charges of insurrection ringleader and abuse of power to obstruct the exercise of rights against former President Yoon at 10:15 a.m. on this day. Yoon's legal team submitted a statement of absence due to 'health reasons' one hour before the trial began.

Former President Yoon's defense attorneys were present in court and remained in their seats.

Earlier, at around 2:07 a.m. on this day, Chief Judge Nam Sejin, who is in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for former President Yoon. After the pre-arrest detention hearing concluded on July 9, Yoon, who had been waiting at Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, was immediately taken into custody.

Former President Yoon was first detained on January 19, but was released on March 8 after the court decided to cancel his detention, and had been standing trial without detention since then. Now, having once again become a detainee, Yoon will have to travel from Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province to the court in Seocho-dong, Seoul to attend future trials.

At the trial on this day, Ko Donghee, former Director of Planning at the Defense Security Command (Colonel), and Jeong Seongwoo, former Director of Counterintelligence Division 1 at the Defense Counterintelligence Command (Brigadier General), appeared as witnesses.