Special Prosecutor Requests Live Broadcast of Yoon's Insurrection Trial... Hearing Tomorrow

First Live Broadcasting Request for an Ongoing Trial
Yoon Absent for 12 Consecutive Hearings

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is attending the first trial on charges of "obstruction of special official duties and abuse of authority to interfere with the exercise of rights" held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 26th of last month. Photo by Joint Press Corps

The Special Prosecutor's Office for the Insurrection Case (Special Prosecutor Cho Eunsuk) has requested the court to allow live broadcasting of the trial for former President Yoon Sukyeol's insurrection charges, which were handed over from the prosecution. The 22nd hearing of former President Yoon's insurrection trial is scheduled to be held on the morning of October 2. Former President Yoon has been absent for 12 consecutive hearings, resulting in the trial proceeding in absentia.

According to the legal community on October 1, the special prosecutor's team submitted an application for live broadcasting to the Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Guyon) the previous day. This is the first time that the team has requested live broadcasting for an ongoing trial that was not newly indicted during the special prosecutor's phase.

Article 11, Paragraph 4 of the current (pre-revised) Special Prosecutor Act for Insurrection stipulates that "If the special prosecutor or the defendant applies, the presiding judge must permit live broadcasting unless there are special circumstances, but may deny it by decision if there are grounds to not allow broadcasting."

Previously, Presiding Judge Ji Guyon had suggested, "Since there is social controversy regarding live broadcasting of the trial, perhaps both the special prosecutor and the defendant should consider whether to apply for live broadcasting."

The special prosecutor's team also applied for live broadcasting for the first hearing on charges of obstruction of special official duties and abuse of authority to interfere with the exercise of rights against former President Yoon. The court accepted the request, allowing images of former President Yoon's court appearance to be released to the public through the media.

The Criminal Division 25 will review the special prosecutor's team's application for live broadcasting and decide on whether to allow it and the method of broadcasting.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.