Yoon's criminal hearing, first for sitting Korean president, lasts just 13 minutes
Published: 20 Feb. 2025, 15:26
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- MICHAEL LEE
- [email protected]
![Police buses line a road near the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, ahead of the first preliminary hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's criminal trial on Feb. 20. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/20/dcc8ecd2-e7d5-46d5-b92f-89a0dbd490b9.jpg)
Police buses line a road near the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, ahead of the first preliminary hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's criminal trial on Feb. 20. [NEWS1]
President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the first preliminary hearing of his criminal trial on insurrection charges on Thursday, marking the first appearance of a sitting president in the dock.
Yoon was indicted last month by prosecutors on charges of leading an insurrection to overthrow the country’s democratic order with military rule by declaring martial law on Dec. 3.
The hearing, which began at 10 a.m. and ended just 13 minutes later, was presided over by Judge Ji Gwi-yeon amid heightened security at the Seoul Central District Court.
The president’s lawyers told the judge they and Yoon had not yet decided how he would plea because they had “not yet reviewed the record” of charges and corresponding evidence submitted by the prosecution.
Prosecutors at the hearing said they had prepared approximately 70,000 pages of documentary evidence alone for the case.
The president’s lawyers said they have not decided whether they want Yoon’s trial to be consolidated with that of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of acting as the president’s accomplice in implementing his martial law decree.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, said they oppose holding a joint trial for Yoon and Kim, saying separate proceedings would be more efficient.
However, they said they support parallel proceedings for the pair and called on the court to hold intensive examinations two to three times a week “in light of the significance of the case.”
The Seoul Central District Court said that it would hold another preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24 before commencing oral arguments in Yoon’s trial.
After the hearing, the court held a separate, hour-long session to hear arguments about whether Yoon should remain in jail during his trial.
Yoon’s lawyers claim the arrest warrant against him expired at midnight on Jan. 25, but prosecutors believe it was valid until Jan. 27.
Prosecutors filed their indictment against Yoon on Jan. 26, allowing them to keep him in pre-trial detention.
The court said it would give each side 10 days to submit more documents before reaching a decision as to whether he should remain in official custody.
BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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