The Seoul High Court on Thursday halted the appellate trial over former President Yoon Suk Yeol's conviction for leading an insurrection through his botched martial law imposition in December 2024.
At what was scheduled to be the first formal hearing for the legal proceedings at 10 a.m., the court said it announced the decision as the former South Korean leader and his lawyers did not show up, citing their request for three of the trial's judges to recuse themselves.
Of the seven former high-ranking government and military officials facing trial for their part in the martial law declaration, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former Defense Counterintelligence Chief Noh Sang-won, and former Gen. Kim Yong-gun also made the same request at Thursday's hearing. The three defendants then exited the court.
The court said the schedule for Yoon's trial would be announced later, and the trials for the three other defendants were also expected to be held separately from the remaining four defendants, which include former National Police Agency Chief Cho Ji-ho.
Yoon's request was based the judges' handling of the appellate trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was found guilty of aiding an insurrection in relation to the same martial law declaration. His legal team claimed that the judges had already shown "preconception and prejudice" toward a guilty verdict, making a fair trial unlikely.
The disgraced former leader is currently facing eight criminal trials. Most of the charges are connected to his martial law imposition on Dec. 3, 2024 — which lasted for roughly six hours and led to his impeachment — though he faces others for corruption involving his wife and 2023 death of a Marine.
A lower court ruling three months ago found Yoon and others guilty of insurrection, sentencing Yoon to a lifetime in prison as the leader and t Kim to 30 years in jail for his part.
Both sides appealed the February ruling, and special counsel Cho Eun-suk was to explain the reasons for rejection at Thursday's hearing.
The special counsel requested the court to reject the defendants' request. But the court said it would not reach a decision immediately, as it cannot be considered the defendants have clear intent to delay the legal proceedings.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
