Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, are set to appear in court on Friday in separate trials, marking the first time both are scheduled to appear on the same day since their arrests.
Yoon will attend one of his trials related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, as well as allegations of obstructing investigators in January and deleting secure phone records from government servers. He had skipped his two martial law trials since being arrested for the second time in July but recently resumed court appearances as key witnesses began testifying.
Kim, the former first lady, faces corruption charges, including alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interfering in candidate nominations for elections. She has been present at every trial session since proceedings began in September and has been in custody since August 12.
Both trials are scheduled to start around 10:15 a.m., but authorities have arranged for the couple not to cross paths, as they are being held at separate detention centres, Yonhap news agency reported.
Earlier on November 4, a special counsel team summoned Yoon to appear for questioning over his alleged interference in a military probe into the 2023 death of a young Marine. Investigators suspect Yoon instructed the presidential office and the defence ministry to reverse initial findings in order to shield a Marine commander from responsibility.
The former president is also suspected of helping former Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup avoid accountability by appointing him as ambassador to Australia in March 2024. The special counsel had previously requested Yoon’s appearance on October 23, but he did not comply, citing trial schedules for his lawyers.
The late Marine, Cpl. Chae Su-geun, died in July 2023 after being swept away during a search mission for victims of heavy rains, reportedly without proper safety equipment, including a life vest.
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