Will Former South Korean President Yoon Attend His Arrest Legality Hearing?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is attending a court hearing regarding his arrest.
- The hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Friday.
- Yoon's health has reportedly deteriorated significantly.
- He faces five charges related to an attempt to impose martial law.
- The court's decision will determine whether he remains in custody or is released.
Seoul, July 17 (NationPress) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to appear at a court session later this week to challenge the legality of his arrest, as confirmed by his legal representatives on Thursday.
The session is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Friday at the Seoul Central District Court, where the judges will evaluate if the arrest of the former president was justified and whether it should continue.
"He has chosen to be present at the hearing to personally discuss his health status, as attending his current criminal trial or meeting the special counsel has become practically impossible for him," stated one of his attorneys, noting that Yoon's health has "significantly worsened."
Yoon initiated his request for the review on Wednesday, shortly after being detained at the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang, located just south of the capital, facing five major allegations related to his efforts to impose martial law back in December.
Following the court's ruling, which is anticipated to be delivered within 24 hours post-hearing, Yoon will either be freed from detention or remain incarcerated until the conclusion of a 20-day initial arrest period, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Earlier this day, Yoon Suk Yeol chose not to participate in his insurrection trial for the second time, indicating he would abstain from all forthcoming hearings unless the special counsel's team, headed by Cho Eun-suk, is removed from the proceedings.
Currently, Yoon is being held at the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang after a court issued an arrest warrant for him last Thursday regarding charges linked to his martial law intentions.
A separate trial concerning accusations of insurrection and abuse of power related to the martial law attempt is already underway, with the 11th hearing taking place earlier today at the Seoul Central District Court.
"Unless the special counsel is excluded from the hearings, the defendant's attendance is challenging," one of Yoon's lawyers remarked, alleging that Cho's team has severely infringed upon the defendant's rights through an "unlawful" investigation.
Yoon was also absent from the 10th hearing last week, which occurred just hours after his arrest. This marked the first instance he missed his trial, which he attributed to health issues.