South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol skipped his insurrection trial for the 11th straight time on Thursday, but he plans to show up in court later this week for a different hearing.
The trial at Seoul Central District Court focuses on Yoon’s role in leading an insurrection and abusing power during his brief martial law declaration last December. He’s been dodging these sessions ever since authorities put him back in custody on July 10 over the failed martial law attempt, according to Yonhap news agency.
Judges decided to move forward without him after the Seoul Detention Center reported they couldn’t force him to attend. South Korea’s Criminal Procedure Code allows trials to continue if a defendant skips court without a good reason and officials can’t safely bring them in.
On Friday, Yoon faces his first hearing on fresh charges: violating Cabinet members’ rights and issuing a revised martial law proclamation. His legal team points out that the law requires defendants to attend the opening day of any new trial.
Right after that, the court will tackle Yoon’s bail request, which he filed last week. He argues it would help him prepare his defense and address ongoing health concerns.
In related news, former First Lady Kim Keon Hee faced questions from a special counsel team on Thursday over claims she accepted a pricey painting as a favor for boosting a former prosecutor’s election campaign. Kim, Yoon’s wife and the partner of the ousted president, has been in custody since August 12. She arrived in a prison van for her first grilling since prosecutors indicted her on August 29 for bribery and corruption.
Investigators are digging deeper into Kim’s activities following the indictment. This time, they’re zeroing in on a 140 million-won (about $101,000) artwork by famous artist Lee Ufan. Allegedly, she got it from ex-prosecutor Kim Sang-min as thanks for helping him snag the People Power Party’s nomination for Changwon’s Uichang district in the April 2024 general elections.
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