South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared at the first preliminary hearing of his criminal trial on Thursday on charges of leading an uprising, becoming the country’s first head of state to be tried in a criminal case.
Yoon, who also has an impeachment trial in its final stages, was charged with sedition last month over his failed martial law bid. The charge removes presidential immunity and, if convicted, Yoon could face life in prison or the death penalty.
The preliminary hearing, which began at 10 a.m. at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, lasted only 13 minutes, and the court decided to hold another preliminary hearing on March 24.
The defendant is not required to be present at the preliminary hearing, which aims to clarify the main disputes in the case and plan future proceedings.
Yoon nevertheless chose to attend Thursday’s session and entered the courtroom wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie.
At the hearing, Yoon’s legal representatives stated that they will announce their stance on the charges Yoon faces at a later date, noting that they have not yet reviewed all the records of the case.
They also did not clarify their stance on whether the case should be merged with others, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who are accused of allegedly playing a role in Yoon’s imposition of martial law.
The prosecution opposed the consolidation of the cases, saying it would be more efficient to conduct the trials separately.
After the session ended, the court began examining Yoon’s request to lift his detention and release him.
Yoon has been held in a detention center since mid-January after being detained by investigators on charges of inciting rebellion under short-term martial law.
Yoon’s lawyers claimed that Yoon’s detention was illegal, arguing that his detention period had already expired when he was charged by prosecutors on January 26.
The lawyers also argued that Yoon’s declaration of martial law was legitimate and did not amount to rebellion, and that he was not a flight risk.
The prosecution, on the other hand, argued that the indictment took place during Yoon’s detention period and that the request should be rejected. Detained suspects can continue to be held if they are charged within their detention period.
It was also stated that there was concern that evidence would be tampered with if Yoon was released.
The court ordered both sides to submit further arguments if necessary within the next 10 days. Yoon did not make a statement in court as initially expected.
According to police estimates, the hearing took place as about 500 supporters of the ousted president organized a rally near the court demanding Yoon’s release.
Police mobilized some 3,200 personnel around the court to control the crowd, setting up barriers and lining up police buses to maintain order.
