Seoul, Jan 12 (NationPress) On Monday, a court in Seoul conducted the inaugural hearing for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces charges of benefiting the enemy due to accusations of sending military drones to Pyongyang in 2024.

The session was held at the Seoul Central District Court in a private setting, attended by Yoon, former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and Yeo In-hyung, the former leader of the Defence Counterintelligence Command.

All three individuals have been indicted on allegations of assisting the enemy linked to the purported drone deployment to North Korea's capital in October 2024, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

The special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk contends that the alleged drone deployment was intended to provoke retaliation from the North, which could be used as justification for Yoon's declaration of martial law two months later.

The indictment claims Yoon benefited the enemy in general, asserting that the drone dispatch resulted in the leakage of military secrets to North Korea when the drones reportedly crashed near Pyongyang.

The court indicated it would determine in each session whether to continue the trial in a closed setting, referencing the sensitive state secrets involved.

The ousted president is facing multiple charges related to his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law, including accusations of instigating an insurrection.

Moreover, a court on Friday delayed the hearing for Yoon Suk Yeol's sentencing regarding his failed martial law attempt, rescheduling it for the following week due to prior delays.

The court, which was supposed to conduct the final hearing, announced it would hold an additional session next Tuesday to address the sentencing request from special counsel Cho Eun-suk and Yoon's concluding statement.

This session was closely monitored as the special counsel team was expected to propose one of three potential punishments for the leader of an insurrection: the death penalty, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment without hard labor.

Yoon was indicted last January for leading an insurrection through his declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024.

The hearing was anticipated to extend late into the evening, given that eight defendants, including the ousted president, were scheduled to present their final statements and their lawyers were to deliver closing arguments.

However, the session exceeded expectations, as the lawyers for Kim took over 10 hours to review documentary evidence.

After 9 PM, the bench concluded the session after the seven defendants, excluding Yoon, had completed their examination and closing arguments, postponing the special counsel's sentencing recommendation and Yoon's final statement to the upcoming Tuesday.

Legal analysts predict that the court's sentencing decision could be delivered in early February.

Yoon faces accusations of collaborating with the former defence minister and others to incite a riot aimed at undermining the Constitution by unlawfully declaring martial law without a state of war or similar national emergency.

Specifically, he is accused of mobilizing troops and police to blockade the National Assembly and obstruct lawmakers from voting down his decree, along with ordering the arrest and detention of the National Assembly speaker and the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties.

In January last year, Yoon became the first sitting president to be indicted and placed in custody. He was released in March following a court ruling that annulled his arrest but was detained again in July on further charges connected to his martial law attempt.