Yoon Seok-yeol Claims "Surviving Is Difficult," but Court Rejects Bail Request

Appearing in Court After 85 Days, Pleads for Bail
Court Rejects Request, Citing "No Reason to Grant"
Trial on Charges of Obstructing Arrest to Continue in Detention

The bail request of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was rearrested by the special prosecutor's team for insurrection led by Cho Eunseok, was denied on the 2nd. Former President Yoon had requested the court to allow him to stand trial without detention, citing the need to guarantee his right to a proper defense and his health issues, but the court stated, "There is no reason to grant bail."

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol is attending the trial on charges of obstruction of official duties held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 26th.

The Criminal Agreement Division 35 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Daehyun) announced in the afternoon that day, "It is recognized that there is a reason under Article 95, Paragraph 3 of the Criminal Procedure Act, and it is not recognized that there is sufficient reason to grant bail as stipulated in Article 96 of the same law," thus rejecting former President Yoon's bail request. Article 95, Paragraph 3 of the Criminal Procedure Act stipulates that bail must not be granted if there is a concern about destruction of evidence. As a result, former President Yoon will continue to stand trial while being held at the Seoul Detention Center.

Earlier, on the 26th of last month, the court held a hearing on former President Yoon's bail request. After being rearrested, former President Yoon appeared in court in person for the first time in 85 days and emphasized the need for bail, stating, "After being detained, just 'surviving' in a 1.8-pyeong cell was extremely difficult."

He said, "Although I am not in a life-threatening condition, just coming here is not an ordinary matter," and added, "If you grant bail, I will exercise a little in the morning and at night, follow a diabetic diet, and cooperate with the judicial process." However, the court did not accept his request.

Former President Yoon, who is accused of being the ringleader of the insurrection, was released in March following the court's decision to cancel his detention, but was rearrested in July after the special prosecutor's team requested a detention warrant.

The special prosecutor's team indicted former President Yoon on charges of violating the constitutional rights of nine cabinet members to deliberate and decide on martial law by convening only a partial cabinet meeting in order to create the appearance of a regular meeting prior to the declaration of martial law on December 3 last year, thereby preventing those members from attending.

He is also accused of fabricating a false martial law declaration after the lifting of martial law and destroying the document, which was both a presidential record and an official government document. Additional charges include ordering the deletion of secure phone communication records in preparation for the investigation, and instructing the Presidential Security Service to prevent the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials from executing an arrest warrant.

The special prosecutor's team stated, "The post-martial law destruction of documents itself constitutes destruction of evidence for the purpose of obstructing the investigation and trial," and added, "It is a fact that the defendant still has a support base, and if released, his political influence could affect the investigation and trial," thereby asserting the necessity of continued detention.