"First Hearing in Court for South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Insurrection Charges"

"First Hearing in Court for South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Insurrection Charges"

Seoul, February 20 (Reuters): Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court on Thursday for the first hearing of his criminal trial on insurrection charges. During the hearing, his lawyers requested his release on bail.

TV footage showed vehicles from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice leaving the Seoul Detention Center and arriving at the court, where rows of police buses were parked outside to ensure security. The court heard a request from Yoon's lawyers to cancel his detention, arguing that the insurrection investigation had been conducted illegally and that there was no risk of Yoon attempting to destroy evidence.

Last month, prosecutors indicted Yoon, accusing him of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law on December 3. The charges are unprecedented for a sitting South Korean president, and if convicted, Yoon could face years in prison for his martial law declaration. This declaration caused widespread discontent in the country as it aimed to ban political and parliamentary activities and control the media.