SEOUL: Former President Yoon Seok-yeol will appear in his criminal trial on 'rebellion charges' at 10 AM today (the 14th). The court has prohibited filming in the courtroom for the first time in the history of former presidents' trials.
The first formal hearing of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's rebellion charge trial will be held shortly.
Since the court allows underground access and does not permit filming inside the courtroom, it seems that former President Yoon's appearance at the trial will not be captured on camera by the press.
Usually, when a person who receives public attention is tried without detention, you can see them getting out of their car on the first floor and entering the court building.
However, it seems difficult to convey this scene today.
Ahead of former President Yoon's trial, the security service requested that they use the underground parking lot, and the court has decided to accept this.
Also, since the court did not allow filming inside the courtroom, it is expected that it will be difficult to see former President Yoon sitting in the defendant's seat.
This is a different decision from the court's decision to allow filming inside the courtroom for former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.
Ahead of the first trial, the court has already blocked all vehicles except essential vehicles such as public vehicles from entering the building since last Friday night.
The court has also recommended that staff, including judges, use public transportation.
Security has been strengthened to the point that even reporters have to go through an ID check when they enter.
There have been reports of rallies and press conferences by former President Yoon's supporters and groups calling for his re-arrest around the courthouse.
The police have deployed 850 members of 13 mobile units to prepare for any eventuality.
Today is the first trial. What procedures are scheduled?
There were two preparatory sessions before, and today is the first official trial.
Two witnesses are scheduled to be questioned.
Military officials, including Jo Seong-hyeon, the head of the 1st Defense Security Command, are expected to appear as witnesses.
Jo Seong-hyeon also appeared as a witness in the impeachment trial of former President Yoon and testified that he received instructions from former Defense Security Command Commander Lee Jin-woo to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly.
Kim Hyung-gi, the head of the 1st Special Forces Battalion of the Special Warfare Command, also received instructions from his superior to drag lawmakers out.
We have reported on the issues of the impeachment trial several times, but what are the issues of the criminal trial?
In order to punish him for sedition, it must be proven that he committed the riot with the intent to disrupt the Constitution.
The core of the criminal trial is to determine whether former President Yoon committed the riot with the intent to neutralize the National Assembly or the National Election Commission.
Even if the Constitutional Court acknowledges former President Yoon’s intent and actions, it is possible that it will make a different judgment in the criminal trial.
It is expected that former President Yoon’s side will claim that he did not have the intent to disrupt the Constitution, and will use the controversy over the investigative authority of the Public Prosecutor’s Office that was valid at the time of the decision to cancel the arrest warrant as a link to the procedural illegality.
If he is found guilty in the trial, it seems inevitable that former President Yoon will receive a heavy sentence, as the only statutory sentences for the charge of being the leader of a sedition are the death penalty, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment.
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