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Ex-President Yoon faces criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday

Published: 13 Apr. 2025, 12:47 Updated: 13 Apr. 2025, 21:18

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters after arriving at his private residence in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on April 11. [NEWS1]

The first criminal trial for former President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled for this week, 10 days after he his removal from office for his short-lived martial law declaration in December, court officials said Sunday.

The Seoul Central District Court is set to open the hearing on Yoon's insurrection charges at 10 a.m. Monday. As the defendant, Yoon must attend the trial.

Yoon will be the fifth former president to stand criminal trial.

He will be allowed to enter the court via an underground parking lot, with the court having set up security-related measures in preparation for potential rallies near the court building.

Media will not be allowed to take photographs inside the courtroom before the proceedings begin.

As part of the formal process, Yoon must state his name, birthday, occupation and place of residence at the start. The prosecution will then lay out charges against Yoon, who is expected to deny them. The former president may also ask the judge for an opportunity to state his case.

If convicted on charges of leading an insurrection, Yoon could face a life sentence or the death penalty.

Col. Cho Sung-hyun, commander of the Capital Defense Command’s 1st Security Brigade, and Kim Hyung-ki, head of the First Special Forces Battalion of the Special Warfare Command, will take the witness stand Monday.

During Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, Cho testified that he'd been ordered by Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command, to send troops to “drag out” lawmakers from the National Assembly after Yoon declared martial law Dec. 3.

Kim is believed to have received a similar order from his superior the same night.

Yonhap