'Bail Denied' Yoon Seok-yeol Fails to Appear at Second Trial for Obstruction of Arrest, Citing 'Health Reasons'

First Trial After Bail Request Denied: Yoon Absent
Court: "Proceeding as an Off-Calendar Hearing"
Today's Session Held Without Broadcast

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol did not attend the second trial, in which the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eunseok indicted him on additional charges, including obstruction of arrest. While he previously appeared at the first trial and the bail hearing, which was tied to conditional release, he was absent on this day.

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol is attending the trial on charges of obstruction of official duties held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 26th.

The 35th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Daehyun) held the second hearing on charges against former President Yoon, including obstruction of official duties and abuse of power, at 10:15 a.m. on October 10.

On this day, former President Yoon submitted a written statement to the court citing health reasons for his absence and did not appear in the courtroom.

The court stated, "There does not appear to be a valid reason for the defendant's absence. A trial can proceed without the defendant only if it is impossible or extremely difficult for the prison officer to bring the defendant to court, but that is not the case today." The court added, "Today’s session will proceed as an off-calendar hearing, and we will decide later whether to continue with a trial in absentia." The court will proceed with the off-calendar evidence examination for now, and if the defendant appears at the next session, his presence will be confirmed.

Former President Yoon attended the first hearing on the additional indictment by the special prosecutor and the bail hearing held on September 26. After being re-arrested by the special prosecutor team, Yoon had refused to attend both the trial for charges including leading an insurrection and the summons by the special prosecutor, maintaining a "stand-off" strategy, but appeared in court for the first time in 85 days.

During the bail hearing, he personally stated, "After being detained, it was difficult just to survive in a 5.9-square-meter cell." However, on October 2, the court rejected his bail request, citing concerns about destruction of evidence.

Former President Yoon, who faces charges including leading an insurrection, was released in March after the court canceled his detention, but was re-arrested in July when the special prosecutor team requested a new arrest warrant.

The special prosecutor team indicted former President Yoon for violating the constitutional authority of nine cabinet members who could not attend the December 3 Martial Law declaration meeting last year. He is accused of convening only a partial cabinet meeting to give the appearance of a full session before declaring martial law, thereby infringing on their constitutional right to deliberate and decide on martial law.

He also faces charges of fabricating a false martial law proclamation after the martial law was lifted and destroying this document, which is both a presidential record and an official government document. Additional allegations include ordering the deletion of secure phone communication records in preparation for the investigation and instructing the Presidential Security Service to prevent the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials from executing an arrest warrant.

Unlike the first hearing, this trial was not broadcast. The special prosecutor team did not request a broadcast from the court, citing reasons such as national security regarding the testimony of Presidential Security Service staff scheduled for this hearing.