Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on Monday for the fourth hearing in his ongoing insurrection trial, amid mounting political tensions just two weeks ahead of the country’s presidential election.
Yoon, who was impeached and removed from office following his controversial December 3 declaration of martial law, arrived in a black van and entered the courthouse without addressing questions from the press. This marks the second time he has entered through the main public entrance, diverging from the private underground route used during his first two court appearances.
Monday’s hearing focused on both the core insurrection charge—alleging that Yoon attempted to subvert democratic processes through the martial law decree—and newly added allegations of abuse of power. Prosecutors argue that Yoon overstepped his authority in issuing the decree, leading to attempts to forcibly obstruct parliamentary proceedings.
Two key witnesses were summoned: Park Jeong-hwan, Chief of Staff of the Army Special Warfare Command, and Lee Sang-hyun, former Commander of the 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade.
During his testimony, Park recounted the events of the night of December 3, noting that Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, then head of the Special Warfare Command, took multiple urgent phone calls. Park testified that although he could not hear the caller, he heard Kwak responding with phrases such as “enter even by breaking down doors.” This statement corroborates Kwak’s earlier testimony during the impeachment trial, in which he claimed Yoon had ordered the military to forcibly enter the National Assembly and remove lawmakers poised to vote down the martial law decree.
The controversy has had profound political repercussions. On Saturday, Yoon formally withdrew from the conservative People Power Party, bowing to internal pressure amid concerns that his presence was damaging the presidential prospects of the party’s candidate, Kim Moon-soo. Kim’s campaign has struggled to gain traction against leading liberal contender Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party.
The presidential election is scheduled for June 3. If convicted of insurrection, Yoon faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or even the death sentence under South Korean law.
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