Seoul: Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the first preliminary hearing of his criminal trial on Thursday, marking the first time a sitting president has stood trial on charges of leading an insurrection.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon was indicted last month over his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law, a charge that overrides his presidential immunity. The hearing, held at the Seoul Central District Court, aimed to clarify the main disputes of the case and plan for future proceedings. While a preliminary hearing does not mandate the defendant's presence, Yoon opted to attend, arriving in a black suit and red tie.
Yoon's legal team stated they would present their stance on the charges at a later date, as they still need to review all case records. The court has scheduled another preliminary hearing. It is expected that Yoon's lawyers will contest all allegations, consistent with their defense during his impeachment trial.
The court is also reviewing Yoon's request to cancel his arrest and release him from detention. One of Yoon's lawyers, Yun Gap-geun, expressed confidence in Yoon's cooperation with the review and argued against his continued detention, stating, "As the grounds for his arrest are no longer valid and it is all too clear that he is currently under illegal arrest, (we) expect the judge to make a sensible decision."
Yoon has been held at a detention center since mid-January following allegations of inciting insurrection through his brief imposition of martial law. During the hearing, Yoon's supporters rallied near the court, demanding his release. In response, police deployed approximately 3,200 officers for crowd control, setting up barriers and positioning police buses to maintain order.