Bail Hearing Expected After First Trial on Special Prosecutor’s Indictment
Request Cites Right to Defense and Health Concerns
The bail hearing for former President Yoon Sukyeol, who was re-arrested by the special investigation team on insurrection charges, will take place on the morning of the 26th. Former President Yoon has requested the court to allow him to stand trial without detention, citing the need to ensure his right to a proper defense and health reasons.
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 is presided over by Nam Sejin, the chief judge in charge of warrants and a graduate of the 33rd Judicial Research and Training Institute. According to the legal community on the 23rd, the 35th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Baek Daehyun, has scheduled the bail hearing for former President Yoon for 10:30 a.m. on the 26th. Former President Yoon's legal team filed for bail on the 19th.
The 35th Criminal Division is expected to hold the first trial hearing for former President Yoon's case, which includes charges of abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights, on the morning of the 26th, immediately followed by the bail hearing.
Previously, former President Yoon, who had been detained on charges of leading an insurrection, was released in March after the court canceled his detention. However, he was re-arrested in July after the special prosecutor's team requested a new arrest warrant.
The special investigation team indicted former President Yoon on charges of violating the constitutional authority of nine cabinet members who were unable to attend the December 3 Martial Law declaration meeting last year, by convening only a partial cabinet meeting to create the appearance of a full session. The team claims this infringed upon the cabinet members' constitutional rights to deliberate and vote on martial law.
He is also accused of creating a false martial law declaration after the lifting of martial law, destroying this document-which is classified as both a presidential record and an official government document-and ordering the deletion of secure phone communication records in preparation for the investigation. Additionally, he allegedly instructed the Presidential Security Service to block the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
Since his re-arrest, former President Yoon has refused to comply with both the special prosecutor's summons and the trial proceedings, maintaining a strategy of resistance. He has failed to appear for ten consecutive hearings in the insurrection and abuse of power case, which is being tried by the 25th Criminal Division of the same court, presided over by Chief Judge Ji Guyoun, as of the 19th.
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