Seoul: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol denied all charges at his second trial on martial law-related allegations Friday, marking his first public appearance since being placed under arrest in July. The former president was transferred from Seoul Detention Center to the Seoul Central District Court for the first hearing, which commenced at 10:15 a.m. and is set to be broadcast online with personal information anonymized.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon, dressed in a dark navy suit and appearing visibly thinner, entered the courtroom wearing his inmate number, “3617.” During the identity check, he provided his birthday and home address before opting out of a jury trial. Yoon is currently facing multiple charges, including leading an insurrection, violating the rights of Cabinet members, revising the martial law proclamation, and obstructing his detention. Additionally, he is accused of ordering the deletion of call records and distributing false statements.
Yoon’s legal team contested each charge, arguing that the former president declared martial law in an emergency and lifted it after the National Assembly voted to repeal it. They claimed that Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk indicted Yoon with political motivations rather than legal grounds. Yoon defended his actions regarding the alleged false proclamation, stating it was drafted to legitimize his actions but was later discarded.
This appearance marks the first time Yoon has been seen publicly since July 9, when he attended an arrest warrant hearing. Following the issuance of the warrant, Yoon was incarcerated for a second time and has since refused to attend his insurrection trial or comply with special counsel summonses. His attendance at the new trial hearing was reportedly mandated by law.
The special counsel team requested expedited proceedings, and the court plans to hold hearings once a week, primarily on Fridays, with the possibility of additional sessions on Tuesdays. Following the trial hearing, a session was held regarding Yoon’s bail request, though broadcasting was denied by the court.
In his defense, Yoon argued that detention hinders his ability to attend trials and comply with investigative questioning. He asserted his commitment to the judicial process and expressed plans to maintain a healthy lifestyle if granted bail. Yoon also criticized the charges against him, labeling them as “childish,” and described the challenges of surviving in his confined cell.
The court justified its decision to deny the broadcast request, citing the need to protect personal honor, a consideration deemed as significant as the public’s right to know. The bail request hearing could potentially disclose Yoon’s medical history and other personal details unrelated to the trial.