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Ex-President Yoon absent from trial for 15th consecutive session

Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 16:00 Updated: 20 Oct. 2025, 18:40

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol takes his seat at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, on Sept. 26 for his trial. [NEWS1]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent from his insurrection trial for the 15th consecutive session Monday.

The bench at the Seoul Central District Court proceeded with the trial in his absence, noting there was no change to his voluntary nonattendance and the Seoul Detention Center's inability to bring him in by force.

Yoon has not appeared at his trial since he was placed under arrest for a second time in July. He is being tried on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his failed imposition of martial law in December.

The former president did, however, appear at the first hearing of his second trial on martial law-related charges in September, as well as at a hearing on his request for bail.

Monday's hearing was scheduled to hear testimony from Col. Kim Hyun-tae, former head of the Army Special Warfare Command's 707th Special Mission Group, who claimed he was ordered to seal off and secure the National Assembly after Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3 last year.

Yonhap